A former landfill in a Rio de Janeiro slum has been turned into a park thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers.

"People came here to get rid of old refrigerators, stoves, tires and even their dead dogs," said Mauro Quintanilha, a musician and craftsman who started the initiative to create a green oasis out of the pungent garbage dump.

Together with a group of 20 volunteers, he spent a year cleaning up the area, and recycling anything that could be reused or repurposed.

The project, ongoing for six years now will be showcased at this month's Rio+20 development conference, expected to draw thousands of delegates from around the world to the favela's haven.

(READ the AFP story in MNN News)