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< back Date of completion: 1 Jul 2025 Creating Arborloo Composting Toilets Building eight Arborloo compost toilets in Nakivale, Uganda. From April to July 2025, eight arborloo toilets were built for new arrivals in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Uganda, by refugee-led UNIDOS Social Innovation Center in partnership with Re-Alliance. This four-month initiative focused on training eight newly arrived refugee households to construct these low-cost systems using recycled and locally available materials. Arborloos are a composting toilet model which use a movable upper structure on top of a pit which, once full, can be topped with soil and planted with a tree or perennial plant guild. The upper structure is then moved on to a newly dug pit, and the cycle continues. See the reference illustration below as an example, and read more in this case study here (including full costings) . The urgent need for this intervention stemmed from a large increase of people fleeing intense conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and arriving to Uganda. This rapid displacement had caused a severe shortage of proper sanitation facilities across Nakivale. Before the project, it was common for five households to share a single, poorly maintained pit latrine. This crisis has driven open defecation and contaminated local water sources, heightening the risk of disease outbreaks. The Arborloo addressed this environmental and public health crisis by providing an ecologically-friendly, cost-effective and easily-built alternative. An Arborloo is a simple, low-cost toilet designed to couple daily human sanitation with ecological restoration. It utilises a shallow pit dug to a depth of 1 to 1.5 metres to optimise organic composting conditions. Once the pit is filled, the lightweight toilet structure is moved to a new location. A tree, or perennial plant guild, is then planted directly into the nutrient-rich humanure left behind. Because of this shallow design, the Arboloo is uniquely suited for household or shared-family use rather than crowded communal areas. Arborloos transform human 'waste' into valuable soil nutrients that accelerate tree growth and deliver multiple compounding benefits. On a human level, it provides immediate, safe sanitation. On an ecological level, the emerging trees stabilise fragile soils, provide vital cooling, sequester carbon, and boost biodiversity. Furthermore, as these trees mature, they become a direct resource for families. For example, the trees can provide agricultural mulch, coppice materials, small twigs for rocket stoves, and even foods from trees ( not annual crops , which in some rare situations may be able to absorb pathogens from the humanure). Solutions designed with and by the community are far more likely to be maintained and scaled effectively. By choosing low-tech, locally adapted solutions, the community created a resilient sanitation system that will continue to protect public health and restore the local environment.

Discover the partnerships and programmes which are showcasing regeneration in action alongside communities. Projects & Partnerships Re-Alliance works alongside trusted partner organisations to co-create and implement regenerative projects throughout the world. Re-Alliance's role is usually in strategic design, project co-design and management, research, as well as producing educational materials, M&E, and disseminating information. See below for more information on some of our recent and current projects and collaborations. Special thanks to our generous funding partners from the public as well as Trusts and Foundations, including but not limited to Treebeard Trust , the JAC Trust and Lush Cosmetics. Regenerative Refugee Settlement in Nakivale Uganda Co-designing and building a Regenerative Settlement with 20 households in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Uganda. + In partnership with: YICE Uganda, Arup, Re-Alliance Integrated Water Management Plan Designing & Implementing an Integrated Water Management plan in Nakivale Refugee camp, Uganda. + In partnership with: YICE Uganda and Fluxus Design Rubondo Integrated Settlement Masterplan Design A participatory master plan design process for a refugee settlement of 20 households. + In partnership with: Yice Uganda and Arup Creating Arborloo Composting Toilets Building eight Arborloo compost toilets in Nakivale, Uganda. + In partnership with: Unidos Social Innovation Centre Regenerative Camps and Settlements: Piloting Interventions Partnering with Re-Alliance members to showcase regenerative interventions in displacement contexts. + In partnership with: Re-Alliance Members Gardening in Small Spaces in Cox's Bazar Evaluating the impacts of home gardening in small refugee dwellings in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. + In partnership with: BASD; Asian University for Women Mobile Wind Power Community designed micro-wind turbines for camps and settlements. + In partnership with: School Of The Earth Growing Mushrooms in Reusable Buckets Minak Projects trialled mushroom growing in reusable, upcycled containers in a refugee settlement. + In partnership with: Minak Projects First Response to Trauma Psychosocial support and community building for trauma healing. + In partnership with: SACOD Building Wicking Beds in Tongogara Building water-saving growing beds in a water-scarce refugee settlement. + In partnership with: Fambidzanai Permaculture Centre 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. + In partnership with: Farms Not Arms Urban rooftop garden in Al-Buriej Refugee Camp Growing food gardens on rooftops in Gaza, showcasing urban growing in places with limited access to land. + In partnership with: Gaza Urban & Peri-Urban Agriculture Platform (GUPAP) Regenerative Urban Agriculture MOCGSE led a project focussed on supporting conflict-affected areas with regenerative urban agriculture demonstration and education. + In partnership with: Mount Oku Center for Gender and Socioeconomic Empowerment (MOCGSE) Regesoil: Community Composting Collective community composting sites in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. + In partnership with: Unidos Social Innovation Centre Ecosan Composting Toilets Urine diversion, dry composting toilets in a barrel, enriching soils for more nutrient-rich crops and healthier people. + In partnership with: YICE Uganda Reimagining Urban Ecosystems in Greece, with Sporos A community-led initiative transforming urban spaces in Greece into resilient, biodiverse ecosystems through regenerative design and education. + In partnership with: Sporos Regeneration Institute Building Treebogs in Kakuma Refugee Settlement FHE built several twin Treebog composting toilets in Kakuma Refugee Settlement. These are raised composting toilets which feed 'humanure' directly to perennial plant roots. + In partnership with: Farming & Health Education (FHE) Lime-Stabilised Soil Building in Cox's Bazar Disaster resistant eco-buildings made from locally sourced materials in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. + In partnership with: Bee Rowan & International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Non-Digital Communications for Capacity Building Analogue learning materials for regenerative food growing in refugee camps and settlements. + In partnership with: Kajulu Hills Ecovillages, Green Releaf Grey Water and Rain Water Harvesting for Food Growing in Syria Piloting Grey water and Rain water harvesting and irrigation for food growing in Syria. + In partnership with: Syrian Academic Expertise, Malteser International Re-Alliance Members' Film Collaboration Participatory filmmaking to share stories of regeneration in action. + In partnership with: Re-Alliance Members

< back Date of completion: 1 Jan 2027 Integrated Water Management Plan Designing & Implementing an Integrated Water Management plan in Nakivale Refugee camp, Uganda. As part of the larger ‘ Regenerative Settlement Project ’ in Rubondo, Nakivale, 5 workshops were undertaken to better understand the land and the daily lives of the people who will live in the settlement and collaboratively create a masterplan for the site. Despite an abundance of seasonal rain water, a major theme coming again and again from the participants was the daily struggle to access water. There are limited sources of all types of water - for drinking , cooking , washing and irrigating crops. To respond to the challenge, this project, led by local regenerative organisation YICE and Fluxus Ecological design, will design and implement a Water Sensitive Design and Integrated Water Management plan. The plan will cover: Demand reduction: minimising water consumption to essential levels Source diversification: combining multiple water sources of varying quality and seasonal availability Rainwater management: promoting infiltration and retention to enhance groundwater recharge and reduce runoff and erosion Wastewater as a resource: recovering water, nutrients and energy whenever possible In practice, on this site, this means harvesting and filtering rainwater from roofs for immediate access to water and digging earthworks to retain rain water in the soil to rehydrate the land and humidify the environment over time. Initial planning has identified the following approaches as appropriate for this site: Ensuring dry sanitation systems are used, such as UDDTs, to reduce consumption of water Rain water harvesting , filtering and storage from roofs of the 20 houses that will be built on site, for household and communal access. Water retention to channel water from rain , run-off and grey water into the soil on the site using banana circles, rain gardens , swales , bunds and ponds . Digging a shallow well at the source of a seasonal spring for community access An initial visit and workshop has been undertaken to research the approach further and trial rainwater harvesting on a building on the site and an action plan produced to guide the project. See a video about the first workshop here:

< 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

< back Date of completion: 1 Jun 2026 Rubondo Integrated Settlement Masterplan Design A participatory master plan design process for a refugee settlement of 20 households As part of the larger ‘Regenerative Settlement Project’ in Rubondo, Nakivale, our pro bono partner, Arup, supported 5 design workshops which were led by YICE and Bassatu staff with future site residents. These focused on Understanding what each group and individual brings to the project; The daily lives of participants and their needs; The different visions for the site, including the meaning of regeneration and the importance of inclusion, participation and co-design; Exploring the local system and mapping its resources; The environmental conditions of the site, including the soil, wind directions, sun path, water flows and hazards; Masterplanning and design activities including zoning, siting, housing design, water management and community building. To minimise travel and maximise local participation, Arup worked mainly from a distance with our partner facilitators, who led most of the workshops with the participants, future residents. Re-Alliance’s community correspondent, Rolande, who lives in Nakivale, conducted an initial survey with those who had been selected to live there to find out more about their current lives and expectations. Her survey included a series of questions about existing living condictions, family size, needs and preferences for sleeping, cooking and food growing and photographing different examples. Participants were invited to an initial workshop with activities to help get to know each other where, working in small groups, they mapped the following areas: Water: Where do you fetch water for cooking, drinking, or washing? Is it safe and reliable? Energy: "You need energy or other materials for cooking, warmth or using electrical appliances e.g mobile phone? What do you do?" Waste: "You want to dispose of your trash; what do you do and what happens?' Food: You need to make a meal, what do you do and what happens?" Shelter: You need to fix your home, what do you do? Where do you get the materials from? Daily life: "Where do you wash, gather, pray, play, farm, rest and meet friends/ socialise?" Movement: "Which paths do you walk most often? Are there difficult or unsafe areas (flooded, steep, dark)?" Ecological assets: Place marks on the map for trees, shade, wind direction, fertile soil, topography. Open questions to guide discussion: "Which routes feel safe or unsafe? What changes when it rains or gets dark?" "Where do people meet, celebrate, or support one another?" "Where does nature help you — and where do you see it being harmed?" This was followed by a visioning exercise using images and examples, to help imagine a better life, their basic and most pressing needs for this and what they would place where and why. The group undertook a site assessment to survey the land, map environmental characteristics (movement of sun, prevailing winds, slopes and water courses), human movement and habitation in or around the area and identify the risks and hazards to be aware of. Participants also mapped resources available onsite or nearby, availability of water and use of surrounding land, all of which led to zoning and the beginning of a masterplan design. Two Arup staff from the London and the Nairobi offices attended for a final, in-country workshop, where they worked with partner facilitators and participants to create a final masterplan. This included the layout of houses, the siting of toilets and washrooms, zoning for cultivation and kitchen gardens and pathways and community buildings to encourage interaction with nearby host and refugee communities. Decisions were discussed through the lens of future resilience. Participants were k een to maximise contact with others living nearby, to increase trade and build good relationships, and Re-Alliance, YICE and Bassatu were motivated by the vision of a closed-loop settlement that was designed to reuse materials and recycle waste. Together we looked at a systems informed approach, that paid particular attention to social cohesion and water retention in order to deal with repeating patterns of flood and drought. Representatives from the Office of the Prime Minister were also invited to learn and to share their processes and minimum criteria for agreeing to sign off on the design, which was crucial before construction. The final masterplan and accompanying materials will guide local participants into how to grade the site, mark out areas for construction and make maximum use of sun and wind direction and natural water flows. We hope to later adapt it into materials that can be shared with other communities designing settlements in their areas. The experience of working largely remotely to support local community groups to manage the design and construction of a settlement themselves has taught us all a lot about different needs and approaches and how to adapt complex language into simple actionable steps. It also showed how participants, who have received minimum schooling, have a strong spatial awareness of their environment and are able to interpret and construct maps of their surroundings. We discussed with them their vision for practical, placed-based cost-effective and climate resilient designs for their homes with architects who authored Ennead Lab’s ‘Rethinking Refugee Communities. The next step is now to grade the land and to turn the site plan into a reality. This short video, taken by Rolande , our community correspondent in Nakivale shows more of the early design phases

Meet the team who support and facilitate the thriving Re-Alliance network of Regenerative practitioners. Meet the team Core Facilitation Team Correspondents Trustees Volunteers Directorship Ruth Andrade Chair of the Trustee Board Read More → Communications Team Ansiima Casinga Rolande Correspondent and Regenerative Settlements Storyteller Read More → Core Facilitation Team James Atherton Permaculture Lead, Communication & Storytelling Lead Read More → Communications Team Batata Boris-Kaloff Correspondent Read More → Directorship Gisele Henriques Trustee Read More → Core Facilitation Team Jackie Kearney Network & Membership Lead Read More → Directorship George McAllister Trustee and Safeguarding Focal Point Read More → Core Facilitation Team Mary Mellett Research, Content & Compliance Lead Read More → Directorship Peter Mellett Trustee Read More → Core Facilitation Team Juliet Millican Coordinator Read More → Directorship Geoff O'Donoghue Trustee and Finance Circle Read More → Core Facilitation Team Margaret Wightman Finance & Operations Manager Read More → Communications Team Sunjae Yun Research & Communications support Read More →

< back Date of completion: 1 Dec 2020 Re-Alliance Members' Film Collaboration Participatory filmmaking to share stories of regeneration in action. With a generous grant of €5000 from Lush Deutschland, we seed-funded the production of 12 short films showcasing inspirational examples of regeneration in action, from Re-Alliance members 8 different countries. These powerful stories of community-based approaches spread messages of hope around the world. An advisory panel helped us decide who to award further grant funding to, and the recipients were awarded up to €3000 to grow their work further. This collaboration welcomed meaningful stories from across the world, giving platform for Re-Alliance members to share their work. For accessibility, we asked that films to be recorded on mobile phones and to last under 6 minutes. Films could be recorded in any language with English subtitles. Small grants of up to €500 were offered to help make the films, which went towards travel costs, purchase of lapel microphones, editing and subtitling in English. All films were uploaded onto our YouTube page and widely shared, tripling visits to our site in a short time as well as giving voice to small marginalised groups. Produced at the height of worldwide lockdowns, the films told stories of resilience and adaptability and facilitated connections and the growth of inspirational ideas at a time when people could not meet but stories could still be shared. You can watch the films here .

This illustrated guide explores how to establish composting at community scale, to build soil health, cycle 'waste', and grow community cohesion. < Back Community Composting This illustrated guide explores how to establish composting at community scale, to build soil health, cycle 'waste', and grow community cohesion. Donate to Re-Alliance Stay updated with our newsletter Download for free: English Español Português عربي Swahili Français

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

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

< Back Sunjae Yun Research & Communications support Sunjae is a volunteer and researcher, currently in her second year of a BA in Social Science. To support Re-Alliance, she focuses on documenting members' work by conducting key research, drafting project pages, and creating social media content.

< 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.