The document proposes constructing a 1 km by 0.6 km giant flag made of colored desert succulents and solar panels in Graaff-Reinet, South Africa. It aims to regenerate degraded land, create jobs, and boost tourism. The flag will be visible from space and serve as an eco-tourism destination with facilities like a conference center and boutique hotel powered by a 4 MW solar array. It seeks funding and partnerships to uplift the local economy and community through sustainable tourism and small businesses.

1. We want to
Make Change Happen

2. • Keep Flying had an impact that went beyond our
expectations
• Through the World Cup, South Africans discovered our
beautiful flag
• We want to land the flag in a legacy project of huge
proportions

3. The
Giant Flag

4. The Giant Flag is an opportunity to bring the
spirit that was kindled in our
national banner down
to Earth

5. To impact lives in a place where hope is low,
where poverty is high, and where the
flag can literally make a
difference

6. The Giant Flag is a
1 km by 0.6 km
flag made of
coloured
Desert
Succulents
and a Solar Array

7. The Flag will be established
in a desert and
seen from space
a manmade
natural phenomenon

8. The
Site

9. • Graaff-Reinet in the Camdeboo region of the Great
Karoo, is a town of 35,000
• Of the 29,000 that make up the Black and Coloured
communities, 50% are on social grants
• In the Camdeboo municipality, including Aberdeen and
Nieu Bethesda, unemployment is around 40%
• Highest Gini coefficient

10. • Graaff Reinet won the 2010 Kwêla /Rapport Dorp van
die Jaar (Town of the Year)
• Beautifully restored, vast natural surrounds and
archeological hotspots make it a sought after tourist
destination
• The Valley of Desolation viewpoint makes it a perfect
outlook over the site of the Giant Flag

15. Green – Spekboom portulacaria affra

16. Red – Ferocactus stainessi

17. Blue – Agave potatorum

18. Yellow –
Echinocactus grusonii

19. Solar field as black triangle

21. Environmental
Relevance

22. Municipal land degraded by overgrazing and erosion

23. • 66 hectares of land that make up the Giant Flag will
serve as a large scale regeneration project
• The 34 hectare tract of land surrounding the Giant
Flag will be regenerated through the planting of
Spekboom, indigenous medicine and food gardens

24. • Spekboom, the green part of the flag, is an indigenous
succulent - high capacity for carbon sequestration
• Spekboom planted on the remaining municipal land
ensures full ecological regeneration
• The 46 hectares of green, would sequester 200 tons of
CO2 annually

25. Construction

26. • The succulents would be rated on the following criteria:
– Indigenous (where possible)
– Colour
– Water wise
– Non-invasive
• The white part of the flag would be an access road for
walking, horse & cart and vehicle tours

27. • The black part, where the 4 MW solar array will partly
serve as a roof, will house:
 Tourism Centre
 Conference Venue
 Boutique Hotel
 SMME Hub
 Production facility for SMME Hub
 Nursery
 Parking
• A large scale water harvesting design will be
integrated into the solar array, ensuring that the Giant
Flag is water independent

33. Upliftment
Economic

34. • Local labour, upskilled and trained
• 60% employed women - third higher than the national
standard
• In 24 months, over R7,5 million toward local labour
• Ongoing employment
• A Trust manages the Giant Flag

35. Sustainability
Ongoing

36. • New eco-tourist destination
• SMME business hub at site
• Flag honey
• Plant your own flag
• Tour guiding
• Algae industry
• Supported by a solar energy Power Purchase
Agreement

37. • DBSA funded the business plan
• ECDC financed EIA process
• Capital grant from the DBSA Green Fund
• Nedbank Foundation grant
• Google powering online global campaign with ad grant
• Toyota providing fleet of vehicles
• Princess Irene of Holland provided seed funds
• Support from local and district municipalities
• Small Projects IPP
• Carbon credit submission to UN
• DSTV as media partner
• Alliance with NMMU Innovation Lab
• Allegiance with Proudly South African and Tourism Ministry
• In-kind sponsorship from SA satellite company

38. Video treatment
• 100 episodes of weekly 1-minute documentary shorts,
for one year during the build phase of the Flag
• Character driven series—portraits linked through to the
Flag
• Tied to the social media campaign
Digital Campaign

40. CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN