Philippa Irvine – Transforming Makhanda with Heart and Hustle
Saturday, 16th August 2025
Imagine this:Strolling through Makhanda’s vibrant streets, where freshly painted walls brighten old buildings, once-neglected verges burst with new life, and the town feels as if it’s awakening. And this isn’t imagination—it’s happening now.
At the heart of this revival is Philippa Irvine, a geography lecturer at Rhodes University. She’s not just an academic—she’s a single mom, a community builder, and the driving force behind the Verge of Change initiative, which is transforming Makhanda’s public spaces—verges, traffic islands, and building facades—into sources of beauty and pride.
“I stumbled into studying and working in geography through a series of individually insignificant decisions,” she laughs, her voice warm and reflective. “I didn’t really enjoy the subject at school, but I was immersed in it from childhood as my father studied and taught geography. He took every possible opportunity to instill spatial thinking, point out landforms, and encourage me to understand the world around me.” It’s easy to picture a young Philippa, wide-eyed, learning to see the world through her father’s lens—a spark that today helps illuminate Makhanda itself.
What keeps Philippa going is her love for teaching and research that makes a difference. “I really love teaching and always have. I love the feeling of getting into the flow during a lecture and knowing that you are communicating ideas and engaging students successfully,” she says, her enthusiasm practically bouncing through her words. But it’s research that’s stealing her heart these days: “At the moment research is the thing that excites me more than anything else—especially research that can bring positive change to our city!” As an urban and cultural geographer, she dives into topics like street art, tourism, heritage conservation, and urban regeneration, always with an eye on practical change. Through Verge for Change, a Ward 8 initiative she leads alongside Councillor Carolynn Clark, Philippa has rallied residents, businesses, and even schoolkids to beautify Makhanda’s streets—think repainted bridges, mosaic benches, and tree-planting projects. “A lot of my work involves research into Makhanda and tries to explore ways in which we can bring positive change to the city,” she explains. “This research always makes recommendations to bring about this change.”
Her hands-on efforts are just as inspiring. “Alongside my academic publications, I try to use my academic skills and knowledge to make positive contributions to the local community through StoryMaps that can be used by locals and visitors, through serving on local management committees and by running projects for urban change,” she shares. Her StoryMaps—like guides to Makhanda’s street art, Mountain Drive full of adventurous trails or the Makana Botanical Gardens—invite visitors to explore the town’s hidden gems while locals rediscover their pride. As part of the Makana Business and Residents’ Association, she’s also pushing for practical solutions. Recent projects, like GBS Mutual Bank’s sidewalk revamp on Hill Street with vibrant murals by local artists, show how Philippa’s vision brings art and community together. Another initiative saw township learners creating mosaics for bus stop benches, blending creativity with function.
This Women’s Month, the theme “The Urgency to Achieving Gender Equality and Empowering Women and Girls” hits close to home for Philippa. “I think that as a younger woman starting out in my career I had to jump through many hoops to be taken seriously, but this has faded somewhat,” she reflects, her tone honest but resilient. Now, her biggest challenge is balance: “My biggest challenge now is balancing my home and work life. We have been told we ‘can have it all’ as women in contemporary society. The reality, however, is that you are constantly juggling things to ensure you don’t drop any of the balls that you have in play. As a single mother and a professional I often feel overwhelmed by all the juggling.” Her candor is relatable—anyone who’s tried to do it all knows that feeling, yet Philippa keeps pushing forward, making her a role model for grit and grace.
Her advice to others is simple but powerful: “Making a difference means being an active member of your community. This means engaging, sharing your time and skills with others, and taking an active role in tackling local challenges.” You can hear the teacher in her voice, urging you to roll up your sleeves and join in. It’s a call to action that’s already transforming Makhanda—whether it’s a freshly planted verge or a restored building that makes you smile as you walk by.
Want to see Philippa’s Makhanda for yourself? Visit during the National Arts Festival, or when making a quick getway to Makhanda, stroll her StoryMap routes, or join a Verge for Change cleanup. Book a stay through Makana Tourism and walk the streets she’s helping bloom. Philippa’s passion—part scholar, part dreamer, all heart—will make you fall in love with Makhanda and maybe even inspire you to make your own community a little brighter.
Through her unique blend of academic rigour and community activism, Irvine is proving that sustainable urban change starts with individuals willing to get their hands dirty.
To view some of Irvine's local Storymap work, you can click on the following links:
Street Art in Makhanda
Exploring Mountain Drive
Digital Heritage Tour of Rhodes University
Makana Botanical Gardens
