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Our illustrated guide for using Greywater and Rainwater in contexts such as refugee camps has now been translated in Turkish as well as English and Arabic. In 2021, Re-Alliance partnered with SOILS Lebanon, Syrian Academic Expertise, and Malteser International to develop a set of instructional guides for using recycled household water, or ‘greywater’, in vegetable garden settings. Greywater can be used for different purposes, such as for watering plants, cleaning equipment, and flushing toilets. Harvesting greywater can be essential when dealing with disrupted infrastructure in scenarios such as those being experienced in Türkiye and Syria following the recent earthquakes.

For the vast majority of humanity, nature is understood as something separate from ourselves. The natural world is seen as something to conquer, a resource to exploit. Most Western belief systems hinge on the idea that human culture has sovereignty over nature, and we rely on a supply of infinite resources that the planet simply does not have. The ecological crisis is fundamentally a crisis of imagination, and the enormous issues we face cannot be solved without first changing the way we think about the environment. We are now paying the price for a superiority complex that has been held for thousands of years. This worldview has become institutionalised, embedded in our vocabulary (e.g., ‘natural resources’, ‘fish stocks’) and our politics. It is no coincidence that social groups associated with the natural world – the working class, indigenous people, even women - have been exploited in a similar way. Fortunately, not everyone subscribes to this worldview. Re-Alliance's members are regeneration practitioners and prescribe to the belief that nature is living. For some, this could have spiritual undertones like animism: the belief that all things – including rocks, plants, and rivers – possess a spiritual essence. Others look to science and ecology to prove that nature is not an inanimate object for humans to exploit, but a complex web of interrelated and interdependent life forms. In their community-led humanitarian responses, Re-Alliance's members embed this belief in their work - designing their responses not only around the health of humans, human systems and infrastructure, but also the health of non-humans. This idea that the non-human possesses agency and vitality could be pivotal in transforming popular attitudes towards the natural world. Communities in La Libertad in Northern Peru, for instance, believe that nature has the ability not only to feel but to act upon these feelings. Importantly, they believe that the relationship between humans and nature is reciprocal, and that natural disasters are punishment for us not treating nature with the respect it deserves. For them, the level of violence enacted by nature correlates to the level of violence enacted by humanity. In this way, nature is not only a reflection of ourselves but also an agent of justice. This alternative way of thinking is already beginning to manifest itself in law and policy. Some governments have recognised the legal personhood of nature, which allows polluters to be prosecuted under personal injury laws. India, Australia, and New Zealand, for instance, recognise the legal personhood of rivers, while Columbia recognises the legal personhood of the Amazon rainforest. Another country leading by example is Bhutan, which uses a ‘gross national happiness’ index to measure progress rather than GDP. Importantly, this index regards the wellbeing of people and the wellbeing of nature. We don’t all need to subscribe to the idea that nature is a sentient being. But perhaps viewing nature as something we are a part of rather than something to fight against could be the key to solving the ecological crisis. Regeneration, for instance, promotes the idea that humanity should evolve in harmony with ecological systems. The emphasis is on collaboration with nature; building a relationship without problematic power dynamics, and ultimately resulting in long-term flourishing for everyone involved. This reimagining of our relationship with nature has profound implications for the humanitarian and development sectors. Solutions that go beyond sustainability could mean that refugee camps no longer have to be places where nature is damaged and subordinated. Instead, regenerative design could enable ecosystems in disaster settings to thrive – creating an environment that is self-healing and far more beneficial to both people and planet. One of Re-Alliance's members, Green Releaf in the Philippines, is doing incredible work on restoring humanity’s connection to the earth by using nature-based solutions in times of crisis. Humanity and nature are deeply intertwined, yet many of us are struggling to break free from this entanglement using increasingly violent methods. These attempts at separation are brutal and futile – most people do not realise that if we are destroying nature, we are destroying ourselves. If we do not shift our way of thinking about nature, we will continue to wreak havoc until we eventually look down and realise that the blood on our hands has always been our own.

A Community of Practice for Regenerative Practitioners Working in Challenging Environments We are thrilled to announce the launch of a new series of community of practice gatherings for regenerative practitioners working in contexts of disaster, displacement and development. Re-Alliance is dedicated to advancing, promoting and showcasing regenerative practices in response to some of the world's most pressing challenges, and this community of practice is an important step towards achieving this goal. The online community of practice will provide a platform for Re-Alliance members across the world to come together and share their experiences, knowledge, and insights. By connecting with others in the field, members will enjoy a supportive environment, expand their knowledge, and stay up-to-date on the latest developments and best practices in regenerative work, and in particular how it can be applied in contexts of development, disaster and displacement. Each bi-monthly community of practice gathering invites you to join the network in congregating around a guiding theme. Ask questions, showcase your work, share your knowledge and expertise, discuss your challenges, and receive inspiration and practical tips from the wisdom of the network. The schedule and guiding themes for these sessions can be found below, and a more complete overview of Re-Alliance’s events, which will be updated as more are added throughout the year, can be found on our events page. Some of the benefits of a Community of Practice are: Networking: Practitioners will be able to connect with others in the field and build valuable relationships that can help them advance their work and work more effectively. Knowledge sharing: Members will be able to share their experiences, insights, and best practices with others, helping to promote the integration of regenerative practices in response to disaster, displacement, and development. Collaboration: The community of practice will provide a platform for practitioners to collaborate on projects and initiatives, working together to make a larger impact than those working in isolation. Re-Alliance is committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive community that facilitates the sharing of resources and support. We believe that by working together, we can help to promote the integration of regenerative practices in response to some of the world's most pressing challenges. We hope you'll join us in this exciting journey! To learn more about the community of practice and how to get involved, visit our events page, or sign up to join our network for additional members-only materials and to be reminded when meetings are happening.

< Back Rwamwanja Rural Foundation Uganda Rwamwanja Rural Foundation owes its existence to its founder, Bemeriki Bisimwa Dusabe, who has been a refugee since the age of 9. Its work is profoundly informed by his own experience of displacement, in particular with regards to health, nutrition and environmental degradation. The Foundation sprung from a youth initiative which Bemeriki founded in 2015, before officially registering as a company in Uganda in 2019. It is guided by its vision of empowering refugee communities to become autonomous and self-sufficient, providing a workable model for these populations to shed their dependence on humanitarian aid. It does so by providing them with the practical tools to secure their livelihoods, grow nutritious food and preserve and restore the natural environments in which they live. Bemeriki and his team of six staff and eleven volunteers work in six refugee camps across Uganda, equipping residents with knowledge and skills in everything from social entrepreneurship and business management, composting and water harvesting, to tree-planting and nutrition. The Foundation also involves host communities in their work, bringing refugee and local populations together to restore the land. Bemeriki is a profound believer in permaculture and how it can teach us to live in harmony with others and with nature. Citing his own childhood growing up amidst conflict, he says “I have found permaculture to be the best form of peacebuilding”.

< Back Applewood Permaculture Centre UK Besides broadening the understanding and practise of permaculture amongst its cohorts of trainees, Chris highlights another fundamental - albeit unnamed - outcome Appelwood’s courses and experiences: enabling people to reconnect with nature, something he deems a fundamental part of what they do. Meanwhile, Looby’s work focuses on the human dimension of permaculture which, in many ways, should be the priority of Appelwood’s work, says Chris: “We need to find a way to engage people in Earth care, rather than the other way around. It’s people we need to deal with, not soil or trees. If we get the first one right, then the rest will come. The Earth care piece is actually quite simple - we know how to do it” Three pillars guide Applewood’s work and inform its theory of changs - “Demonstrate, Educate, Replicate” - drawing inspiration from the Himalayan Permaculture Centre which led to its existence

Re-Alliance Members Our diverse membership, spanning every continent around the globe, has organically formed with representatives from over 150 organisations, united by a shared commitment to integrated regenerative responses to development, disaster and displacement. Our membership includes experts from regenerative design fields working within INGOs, Universities, Businesses, small and medium NGOs and self-employed practitioners. ​ Are you a Permaculture or regenerative practitioner, or from a regenerative project, working in humanitarian or development spaces? We'd love to connect with you. Membership to Re-Alliance is free of charge, and you can find out more about becoming a Re-Alliance member here . ​ Country arrow&v Uganda Youth Initiative for Community Empowerment | YICE Working with youth, women and displaced farmers in rural Uganda to restore biodiversity, improve productivity and secure livelihoods. Read More Find out more Brazil Meli Bees Network Inspired by the Meliponini bees, Meli Bees Network aims to create environmentally and economically sustainable activities that allow both land and people to flourish. Read More Find out more UK Applewood Permaculture Centre Founded by Chris Evans and Looby Mcnamara, Applewood is a smallholding and training centre based in the UK. Inspired by the work of the Himalayan Permaculture Centre, it serves as both a place of learning and of demonstration for a global community of trainees. Read More Find out more Uganda Rwamwanja Rural Foundation Rwamwanja Rural Foundation works with refugee and IDP populations in Uganda - combining the principles of permaculture and social entrepreneurship - equipping them with the tools to provide nutritious food for their communities, secure their livelihoods and regenerate degraded ecosystems. Read More Find out more Greece Sporos Regeneration Institute Regenerating the environment, culture and human relations. Read More Find out more Location Organisation Short bio Read More Find out more