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Re-Alliance's Services Contact us to book services Visit us on social media Re-Alliance provides CONSULTING A consultancy brokering service, linking organisations with individual expertise in the field of regenerative design and development KNOWLEDGE A knowledge bank of case studies, academic articles and research reports evidencing the impact of this work TOOLKITS Links to practical tool kits, training courses and how-to guides, both our own and those produced by our members WORKSHOPS Speakers, facilitators or workshop hosts for specific events, or training sessions about Permaculture and regeneration designed specifically for your organisation Underlying principles Our underlying principles inform our organisational policies and our practice to achieve the change we want to see in the world. While traditionally development and humanitarian response has moved from the global North to the global South, we particularly value the knowledge and resources located in the South and the learning they have to offer to different parts of the world. Already we can see a time when trajectories may be reversed as all areas of the world face the challenges associated with fragility and climate change. From Principles to Policies & Practices PRINCIPLES • To bridge the humanitarian and development divide • Provide alternative discourses around progress • Evidence the impact and effectiveness of regenerative approaches • Emphasise the significance of healthy ecosystems in human wellbeing POLICY • Evidence the impact and effectiveness of regenerative approaches • Influence institutions, and provide a platform for skills, knowledge and evidence sharing • Advocate for a shift of investment flows from harmful to restorative practices PRACTICE • Provide a platform for skills, knowledge and evidence sharing • Encourage participation & inclusive processes • Collectively remember and value local and traditional ways of knowing • Brokering relationships Linking research & practice We link research with practice and aim to provide support and learning in areas where it can have maximum impact. Offering our coalition's services We offer a brokering service to match specialists with projects and activities that can best benefit from their input. Please contact us if you or your organisation are in need of specialist input or advice. We can vouch for the quality and integrity of our members’ work. Areas of expertise Regenerative design in situations of disaster and displacement, to maximise community resilience and regenerative use of the environment Building with natural materials and in response to environmental conditions (straw bale, resilient and affordable housing, earthquake and flood resistant buildings, etc) Food growing and nutrition, space design for optimal yields, regenerative orchards, forest gardens, gardening in refugee camps. Irrigation and watershed management, water recycling, approaches at WASH and the use of greywater in food growing Resilient livelihoods, stabilisation agriculture and agroecology in fragile and conflict affected environments, food growing and marketing after displacement Climate change adaptation, research and practice, restoring and regenerating local ecosystems Monitoring and evaluation, business development and organisational support to small and large scale organisations involving the bringing together of multiple, interdisciplinary teams Resource development, training, facilitation and the management of learning for farmer groups, small communities, conflicted communities, government bodies and international organisations. Contact us to find out more about our services, or to make a booking. Get in touch

< back Date of completion: 30 Jun 2028 Regenerative Refugee Settlement in Nakivale Uganda Co-designing and building a Regenerative Settlement with 20 households in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Uganda This project tests the proposal that those closest to the challenges - refugees themselves - are best placed to create effective, dignified settlements that regenerate the lives of the people who live there and the land on which they depend. It aims to showcase localisation in action, shifting power, resources and decision making to local people and organisations. It also aims to demonstrate the value of diverse organisations working together to enhance the regenerative impact of local action so that learnings and experience can be shared between the local and international levels. It is a unique opportunity to combine the many regenerative approaches already tried and tested in Nakivale into one integrated settlement. What is an Integrated Regenerative Settlement? A regenerative settlement includes closed-loop systems that cycle resources back into the environment to build up the capacity of the people and their land. This can include water management techniques that capture rainwater and grey water systems to reuse water, sanitation systems which turn food and human wastes into a resource to feed the soil and growing practices that cycle nutrients back into the soil and build biodiversity. It should make use of renewable energy, local, natural building materials and the skills and resources of local people. Systems should be designed to be maintained by the community to ensure the continuation and development of the settlement. Communal space, including space for livelihood activities, should be planned for and participatory governance supported to help foster the connection of local people and build strong relationships and resilience within the community. C losed-loop systems cycle resources back into the environment to increase the capacity of people and the land Description of this project Google satellite image with site marked 3 acres of land within the Rubondo zone of Nakivale Refugee Settlement have been allocated to this project by the Ugandan Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). After shortlisting by OPM, 20 households from Rubondo volunteered to take part in a participatory design for a regenerative settlement on the site together with YICE, the implementing partner, and other local groups. After designing the site, householders will help to build their homes and gardens and live together in their ‘village’. The design will aim to include: Housing built by local people in traditional styles using local natural materials, adapted where needed to increase comfort and resilience to climate change. Integrated closed-loop solutions for water, sanitation and waste management Food growing and livelihood zones Renewable energy provision for cooking and lighting Tree and bamboo planting The design process will be informed by permaculture design principles, the GEN ecovillage design process and Sphere Unpacked’s guidance on nature based solutions. It aims to use an action research approach to facilitate a community-led design process that will be documented to benefit community groups in other places. The project will run from June 2025 - May 2028 Project Partners Community Participants: designers and future residents are a group of 20 households from the Rubondo district of Nakivale who volunteered to join the project after being shortlisted by the Ugandan Office of the Prime Minister and UNHCR. Each family brings their own skills to the project and will help design the site and housing. Each family has their own unique perspective of how the settlement should be shaped to help enable their hopes for a secure future. YICE Uganda are the primary implementing organisation who will lead this project in Nakivale, hosting participatory design workshops and supporting the community who will design and live in the settlement. YICE provides sustainable and actionable agricultural services to rural smallholder farmers—especially women, youth, and displaced people. Through innovative solutions and long-term support, YICE helps farmers conserve the environment, improve productivity, and increase incomes, enabling them to build resilient and thriving livelihoods. Re-alliance will capture and present the stories and learnings from this project in freely accessible formats for community-level use. They have assembled a volunteer reference group, bringing in expertise from those with experience working on the Sphere Nature Based Solutions guide, the Ennead Master Plan approach, participatory design experience and humanitarian emergency response expertise. Arup is a global firm giving pro-bono technical support to this project. They will develop the plans, which have been co-designed locally, into a masterplan document with design codes, guidance and construction phasing advice. Arup help shape sustainable, safe, inclusive, and resilient communities by pioneering innovative approaches to the built and natural environments, prioritising environmental regeneration, biodiversity, resource conservation, economic growth, and social value. Meet the core team Noah Ssempijja Director of YICE Uganda, Noah will head up the Ugandan team providing oversight and strategic direction and liaising with key local, national and international stakeholders. Bless Shimirwa is YICE’s Nakivale-based Project Manager, he will be the main point of contact for the local participants, community designers and stakeholders and support with the participatory workshops. Naswirah Nalukwago is the director of Basattu Innovations, a YICE partner organisation based in Nakivale. Naswirah will lead on training and construction management. Driven by a passion for community-led innovation, resilience, and empowerment, Naswirah is committed to developing solutions that restore ecosystems while supporting displaced communities. Rolande Ansiima is the Nakivale Communications Correspondent for Re-Alliance. Rolande, a permaculture practitioner and trainer, is passionate about understanding and communicating the diverse perspectives of the people within her community. She will provide regular updates on the project including videos, photographs and voice recordings. Juliet Millican and Mary Mellett from Re-alliance will lead on documentation and knowledge sharing (See Re-alliance team pages for more details). Paul Broeker and Joana Ferro will lead the Arup involvement and technical support. A Volunteer Reference Group will Advise the project, bringing in expertise from those with experience working on the Sphere Nature Based Solutions guide, the Ennead Master Plan approach, participatory design experience and humanitarian emergency response expertise. Context Photographs from Nakivale

This picture-led booklet, made in collaboration with SACOD, explores how community responders can work with people who have experienced trauma in a safe way. < Back First Response to Trauma This picture-led booklet, made in collaboration with SACOD, explores how community responders can work with people who have experienced trauma in a safe way. Donate to Re-Alliance Stay updated with our newsletter Download for free: English Português Français عربي Español Swahili

This picture-led booklet advises on seasonal food growing in refugee camps, made by Re-Alliance's partner SOILS Permaculture Association - Lebanon, in partnership with German Development Cooperation - GIZ, Mercy Corps, and the World Food Program. Translated from the original Arabic with permission from SOILS Permaculture Association - Lebanon. < Back Seasonal Food Growing in Refugee Settlements This picture-led booklet advises on seasonal food growing in refugee camps, made by Re-Alliance's partner SOILS Permaculture Association - Lebanon, in partnership with German Development Cooperation - GIZ, Mercy Corps, and the World Food Program. Translated from the original Arabic with permission from SOILS Permaculture Association - Lebanon. Donate to Re-Alliance Stay updated with our newsletter Download for free: English, Arabic & Greek

This illustrated guide explores how to build and maintain a urine-diversion composting toilet called an Ecosan, which captures nutrient-rich urine for plant fertiliser, and human manure for use in farming. < Back Ecosans: Toilets in a Barrel This illustrated guide explores how to build and maintain a urine-diversion composting toilet called an Ecosan, which captures nutrient-rich urine for plant fertiliser, and human manure for use in farming. Donate to Re-Alliance Stay updated with our newsletter Download for free: English Español Français عربي Swahili

Create raised beds with capillary-fed watering systems, for water-stressed or drought-prone regions. < Back Wicking Beds Create raised beds with capillary-fed watering systems, for water-stressed or drought-prone regions. Donate to Re-Alliance Stay updated with our newsletter Download for free: English عربي Swahili Español Português Français

< back Date of completion: 1 Oct 2023 Vermicomposting Toilets In Bekaa, Lebanon, Farms Not Arms built three vermicompost toilets for refugee families. These innovative toilets use worms to convert human waste into compost. Implemented by our partners Farms Not Arms in Lebanon, three vermicompost toilets were constructed for refugee families in Bekaa, Lebanon. Two were located in a camp, while the third was situated on a nearby regenerative farm. Vermicomposting toilets are an innovative option for waste management. These toilets work with worms to break down human waste into compost, reducing water use and eliminating the need for chemical treatments. This method lowers water usage and environmental impact and also produces nutrient-rich compost that can be used for gardening. Farms Not Arms hosted three workshops, involving representatives from the camp, to cover topics such as sanitation practices, vermicompost toilet functions, and design. Each vermicompost toilet was designed to accommodate daily usage by six to eight individuals, with each tank having a capacity of 0.9 cubic meters. Considering this usage, each tank can hold waste for approximately six months to a year without the need for emptying. These toilets operated on a semi-flush system, ideal for communities who wash instead of wipe after using the toilet. The water washed away in a soak-away garden. The average cost of constructing each toilet was around GBP £814, with small ongoing maintenance costs. All surveyed participants expressed satisfaction with the placement of the toilets and their overall functionality.

< back Date of completion: 1 Jun 2023 Ecosan Composting Toilets Urine diversion, dry composting toilets in a barrel, enriching soils for more nutrient-rich crops and healthier people. Seven dry Ecosan compost toilets, built by YICE Uganda in collaboration with Re-Alliance, were constructed in four villages within the Nakivale camp in Uganda. An innovative design, utilizing flood-proof containers that could be easily swapped, maximized the limited space available. A comprehensive illustrated booklet, translated into multiple languages, was produced to provide information on the proper use of the toilets. Additionally, 100 households received training on the safe reuse of urine in crop production. Single-parent households with children with disabilities were particularly selected for the project. One such household is Chantal's, a refugee widow from Congo, who has a firstborn son with epilepsy. Chantal expressed gratitude for the Ecosan toilet, stating, “I am Chantal, a refugee widow from Congo, and my firstborn is epileptic. I was always concerned about what might happen to my son during an attack while using a pit latrine. However, all my worries were alleviated after receiving an Ecosan toilet.”

< Back Ruth Andrade Chair of the Trustee Board Ruth has more than 10 years of experience in environmental project management and development in the business sector and two decades experience in education. In the last 10 years, Ruth has been involved in community development, sustainable livelihoods, collaborative project design and participatory governance processes. Ruth’s focus is in building and energising networks to create a bridge between industrial growth and a new culture that can sustain complex life on the planet. Ruth gives her time to designing, developing, testing and learning strategies, patterns and worldviews that can support this new flourishing culture. She has an MSc in Advanced Environment and Energy Studies.

Re-Alliance is a global network of regenerative practitioners working in the humanitarian and development sectors. Find out more about us. About Re-Alliance Re-Alliance is a coalition of field practitioners, policymakers, educators, community leaders and humanitarian and development workers, sharing skills and experience to grow the influence and impact of regenerative development in the humanitarian field. Its work focuses on regenerative development and its response to disaster and displacement. We ask the question, how can we create long-term resilience and abundance while responding to immediate humanitarian crises? Profiled work showcases the restoration and revitalisation of social and ecological systems which integrate the needs of society with the integrity of nature. Through the solidarity of valuing and elevating the existing regenerative practices of its membership, the alliance seeks to share and develop knowledge and extend awareness beyond the group to stimulate further practice. It aims to increase the expertise of the independent members by sharing learning between researchers and practitioners, and to build a collective voice for cross-sector influence and impact. Re-Alliance was registered with the UK Charity Commission as a charity in April 2020 and its charity number is 1188936. History During the 2018 Lush Spring Prize , a group of judges and practitioners facilitating innovative projects identified a desire to unite practitioners across the field of regenerative development and integrated humanitarian response. Talking and researching further, gaps were identified for making this work more effective. The gaps concerned the collection of evidence for this pioneering work; the possibility to influence and give legitimacy to this approach with funders and policy makers and; the capacity for transformation at scale. There are many good examples of effective methods being applied across the globe, which use regenerative approaches to humanitarian and development work but, to date, these have not entered the mainstream. We are committed to taking a coordinated and systematic approach to recording evidence and influencing funders and policy makers that impact large scale humanitarian and development interventions. Groundbreaking practitioners are successfully working in the application of regenerative development in the humanitarian and development fields. As pioneers, they often have limited time to record evidence; have limited resources to scale; and a limited platform to share their innovations. To address these limitations, there is a need for mutual support, learning and collaboration, as well as a need to build the evidence base, unlock funds, and communicate powerful stories of regenerative change. This pioneering work then becomes visible and legitimate both at the grassroots level and within the establishment, which enables the growth of its influence and impact. Our Mission Our mission is to strengthen a coalition of field practitioners, policy makers, educators, community leaders, and development and humanitarian workers, sharing skills and experiences to grow the influence and impact of regenerative development in the humanitarian field. We do this by: - Providing an environment for mutual learning and support amongst those active on the field, - Building a body of evidence and stories to communicate the effectiveness, authenticity and value of regenerative work, - Leveraging support and funding from large relief organisations toward regenerative groups and practices, and, - Focussing on the intersections between disaster and displacement, sustainable and innovative community-led regeneration. Our working principles include: Affected communities first Ensuring that profiled work is of benefit to people experiencing disaster and displacement, the surrounding communities and the natural environment in which the work is being undertaken. We have a small team with lean administration costs, aiming to direct any funds we accumulate toward maximum effectiveness. Integrity Ensuring integrity through use of sociocratric principles which enable robust, defensible and inclusive decision making. Openness, transparency and sharing All of the work we do is promoted openly, in order to grow the legitimacy of regenerative practices. Support Embodying care and support for all those in contact with Re-Alliance.

What does regeneration mean? What are some movements, practices, and knowledge systems that could be described as regenerative? What does this have to do with the humanitarian and development sectors? What do we mean by Regeneration? Donate Contact us Visit us on social media Re-Alliance seeks to showcase regenerative solutions in the humanitarian and development sectors. But what is regeneration? What does it mean to be regenerative? One way of visualising regeneration is on a spectrum or continuum, like that shown below (adapted from Bill Reed's 'Shifting from Sustainability to Regeneration ', 2007) . Sustainability focusses on minimising damage to the environment and human health, and using resources more efficiently to limit the degradation of earth’s natural systems. Regenerative approaches, however, seek to go beyond simply minimising damage, instead reversing the degradation of the planet's living systems and seeking to restore a healthy relationship between humans and other life. Regenerative development encourages us to design human systems that co-evolve with ecological systems to generate mutual benefits and greater expression of life and resilience. There are many terms that you might have noticed when reading about regenerative movements. Regeneration could be seen as a web of many intersecting movements and knowledge bases, each with their own unique framework for engaging with living systems. Image above: just some of the movements and knowledge systems which could be describes as regenerative. Not an exhaustive list. You may have heard of some of the movements in the image above: Permaculture , Agroecology , Biomimicry and more. Each have their own uniquenesses, teachings, methodologies, and have emerged from different contexts. While each of these movements are unique, what are some shared understandings amongst all of them? When exploring the intersections of these movements and knowledge systems, we might see that many of them include an ethical framework , a set of nature-inspired principles , and a unique worldview . These filter into the way practitioners interact and participate with the world around them - holistically designing their own solutions. A common aim of regenerative movements could be to increase health of ecological, social and/or economic systems. • Ethical Frameworks Regenerative movements tend to have ethical codes at their core, to help guide practitioners. For example, Permaculture has three core ethics : Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share. Permaculture practitioners must meet these ethics when designing. Some Permaculture practitioners add a fourth ethic: Animal Care. • Underlying Attitudes and Worldviews Regeneration can also challenge dominant worldviews, and offer an alternative. For example, many regenerative practitioners might say that the exploitation of ecological systems can be directly linked to a cultural separation from nature's living systems. Regenerative practitioners might aim to shift these attitudes toward one of collaboration , with an understanding that humans are part of living systems, not separate from them. • Nature-Inspired Principles Principles help to guide regenerative practitioners' actions, giving them a lens from which to view and interact with the world. For example, there are the Ten Elements of Agroecology , or the Principles of Permaculture . • Whole-Systems Design Design could mean the conscious engagement with a system; using a basis of ethics, attitudes and principles to help guide and shape the way we interact. Regenerative practitioners look to create holistic approaches in their interventions. • A Key Goal: Increasing Health A core goal of many regenerative practitioners when they design could be described as increasing the health of the systems they interact with: social systems, ecological systems, even economic systems. A design process Humans are one of the only species on Earth to have drastically changed the shape of the world that we are part of. We may be the only species who has done so in a way that degrades and destroys, that reduces the capacity to sustain a diversity of life. However, humans also have the ability to create immense positive benefits in the ecological and social landscape. Framing regeneration as a design process helps us harness this ability and use it to plan ways of creating positive change. Regenerative design empowers the practitioner to observe and then make change for the benefit of all Life. Design processes also help us acknowledge that it is not always just the outcome of work that is most important. How we do things matters. The way we work and the processes we use can also help us infuse our ethics and values into the work. Watch Re-Alliance's series about regenerative design processes below, where we interview a number of Re-Alliance members to hear their experiences about following these processes. Play Video Play Video 50:55 Play Video Play Video 01:02:00 Play Video Play Video 30:32 Play Video Play Video 38:46 Play Video Play Video 40:54 Play Video Play Video 30:44 A whole-systems, regenerative approach to disaster relief, human settlements and development How could regeneration apply to humanitarian and development contexts? As with many aspects of the dominant culture, humanitarian and development interventions are often designed in a mechanistic or reductionist manner, removing the affected communities from their wider context and systems. Development measures that are not built to withstand crises are the result of short term thinking, as are relief measures that are not connected to improving and developing areas affected by disaster. The recent emergence of the term resilience in the humanitarian world has brought a new perspective to an old idea, and opened space for thinking about a more integrated response. Some of the hurdles lie in the siloed nature of international funding organisations and NGOs and the way they are structured, with different departments and agencies providing external assistance in different ways. How can we shift humanitarian and development interventions away from degrading mindsets of 'aid' and 'security', toward sovereignty? Of course, vulnerable communities subject to conflict or natural disasters may need external assistance during times of crises. The Sphere Guidelines comprise suggested international standards to be used in humanitarian response. They recommend consultation with communities themselves, and consideration of the contexts in which they are living as well as attention to the longer-term environmental impacts and consultation with host communities. A regenerative approach starts with these guidelines but recommends an integrative approach, taking into account all elements of design, environment, shelter solutions, local markets, and a closed loop of reusing resources. Importantly, regenerative solutions must emerge from, and be tailored to, the unique context and culture of the place. When assistance is delivered without proper consultation with communities themselves, consideration of the contexts in which they are living, or acknowledgement and action with the sovereignty and agency of those communities, such assistance can serve to create additional issues. Providing assistance to refugee populations without regard for host communities, bringing in food aid without recognition of local markets and suppliers and providing heavily packaged goods can all lead to additional long term problems on the ground. Recovery from disaster takes time, emergency support often saves time, but both need to be seen as part of a longer term approach that minimises damage to infrastructure and livelihoods and leaves communities more resilient to future shocks. Image above: some nature-inspired principles adapted from multiple regenerative movements. The Sphere Standards, which could be described as 'Sustainable', are in the centre. Regenerative approaches to disaster, displacement and development aim to layer on top of these. Re-Alliance asks the question, how can we use whole-systems design to create long-term resilience and abundance while also responding to immediate humanitarian crises? Alongside our diverse membership , we showcase regenerative designs and solutions in action. Explore some regenerative movements and methodologies using the map below using the zoom in (+) and out (-) buttons on the right. View full screen map Re-Alliance | Why Regenerative Design? Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied See Re-Alliance's Services