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When disasters strike, saving lives becomes the top priority. In the urgency and chaos of immediate response, speed can take precedence over long-term planning or ecological considerations. The humanitarian sector is structured to respond rapidly, often relying on pre-designed plans to deliver aid and address critical needs. But what could it look like if these immediate responses to disasters could also be regenerative? Could we find ways for responses to be holistic, culturally embedded, and inspired by the ecosystems they are part of? How might we integrate environmental care and nature-based solutions into our rapid response? When we consider regenerative responses, we often focus on the time before or after disasters. We usually either think about Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) to grow resilience before a disaster - or, as Sarah Queblatin reframes it - Designing for Resilience and Regeneration . Then after a disaster and initial response has occurred, we come to recovery and redevelopment, where there are many excellent examples and case studies of Regenerative and Permaculture designed approaches  to meeting the needs of communities who have faced, or even been displaced by, disasters. Tinka John of KAFRED Uganda  emphasises, "Firstly, it’s about awareness and education. We need to teach people how to read and understand their ecosystems. If they know the importance of each element of an ecosystem and how they relate to one another, they might understand the importance of healthy ecosystems and eventually may know how to build the health and resilience of their ecosystems. That way, they can better respond to disasters and shocks." Tinka’s insight points to the need for ecological literacy, where people can read their landscapes and respond to its needs when it’s damaged. When communities have a deep understanding of their local ecosystems they can act as stewards, leveraging the interconnections within living systems to recover more effectively. Yet still, this speaks to learning which needs to happen months or years before a disaster strikes. It can take years to become socialised into nature-inspired ways of thinking. So what about times of urgent and emergency need? What about the moments when crises unfold? Can we still embed regenerative design principles into the way we act in emergencies? Ecological, Regenerative Design in Rapid Disaster Response Conventional humanitarian responses rightfully prioritise speed and efficiency, yet this often comes through a standardised approach across many contexts. This approach saves lives, and that should always be a top priority. However, standardised approaches can often overlook opportunities for cultural alignment and ecological care. To a regenerative or Permaculture designer, the idea of acting in a ‘high speed’ way might seem counter intuitive. As Permaculture designers, we’re taught to be slow and to take time to observe. But in times of need, a rapid regenerative response is called for.  We can ask ourselves:  How might we work with nature, rather than against nature, in this scenario?  How might we integrate culturally significant practices, rather than erase them?  How might we use locally available and renewable resources where possible? Disaster-struck agrarian, land-based, indigenous or peasant communities often already respond in this nature-centric way, through cultural wisdom, necessity, and because disaster relief agencies may not be able to respond as quickly as needed. Ideas of what a nature-based response looks like in practice already exist, but humanitarian actors will need more solid plans in order to scale out these solutions. What is needed is an adaptable, regenerative process and plan that country offices of humanitarian agencies can work with to co-create a rapid response with their communities, in advance of when disasters happen. With climate chaos already wreaking havoc across the world, and with this set to increase, every community will need a plan. What’s needed for an Adaptive Rapid Regenerative Relief Plan An Adaptive Rapid Regenerative Relief Plan (A3RP) must be, as the name suggests, adaptive. Arguably, it wouldn’t be regenerative if it wasn’t adaptable, because all cultures and ecosystems have uniquenesses, and as such need a unique approach that integrates local elements rather than a ‘one size fits all’ solution. Regenerative approaches look different depending on the context, and they also go beyond ‘doing no harm’, seeking to grow the health of the communities and ecosystems they are part of. An A3RP could have a common structure ( an example community consultation guide is suggested here ) to make it easier for humanitarian organisations to operationalise and implement, but crucially it would integrate processes and plans inspired by living systems. Consultation and design processes should include the communities affected to integrate cultural wisdoms, traditional ecological knowledge, and also to build community cohesion. An A3RP approach may include: Ecosystem-Inspired Designs Healthy systems in nature are adept at responding to shocks. Left to its own devices after a wildfire, life takes mere moments to re-root and begin the (albeit slow) process of regrowth. Or for another example we could look to the flood defence skills that mangroves teach us, softening the blows of damaging coastal weather. Disaster response plans can mimic these systems by incorporating strategies found in nature: growing wind breaks and natural barriers; restoring degraded landscapes to slow, store and sink water; or using biomimicry to design infrastructure that can withstand environmental stressors. Traditional Ecobuilding Practices Many indigenous, land-based, peasant and traditional cultures have long histories of constructing shelter using renewable, locally sourced materials. These methods are often intrinsically aligned with their landscapes, sometimes looking almost as if they have emerged from the land. Crucially, they can sometimes be quicker to implement than Western-style shelter, though sometimes with a more complex materials supply chain (as you can't necessarily buy the materials quickly from a supplier, but may have to find renewable, living materials locally and test them for effectiveness). Ecobuilding for immediate post-disaster offers models for housing that if respectful of local culture, reduces dependency on external resources, and minimises carbon costs of flying or shipping materials. One example of these is traditional Filipino bamboo vernacular, which has been known to withstand strong typhoons. Celebrating Local Uniquenesses Food security is critical in immediate disaster responses, and a regenerative response would look toward locally adapted, preferably perennial, plant species to offer a source of food, fuel, medicine, and building materials, while also restoring and stabilising ecosystems. Similarly, local cultures may have found ways that are culturally significant to adapt to crises. Ceremonies and significant cultural customs can help communities come together to repair and regenerate after disasters or traumas. A Call for trialling Adaptive Rapid Regenerative Relief Plans in action A regenerative response is not necessarily a rejection of speed or efficiency, but a deepening of our understanding of the spaces in which we operate and the communities with whom we work. By learning from ecosystems and the wisdom of local cultures, humanitarian agencies can create interventions that not only save lives but also plant the seeds of ecological recovery and community resilience. As Tinka John reminds us, understanding and valuing ecosystems is the foundation for responding effectively to disasters. Whether through fostering ecological literacy, designing culturally and environmentally embedded plans, or leveraging the resilience of natural systems, a regenerative approach to disaster response has the potential to transform crisis into opportunity for both people and the planet. – Re-Alliance is an education and networking organisation comprising over 250 members applying regenerative approaches in disaster and displacement, and focussed on bringing regenerative solutions to the humanitarian sector. If you are part of a humanitarian agency and would like to discuss the A3RP approach in your contexts, reach out to the team on contact@re-alliance.org  or join the network at www.re-alliance.org/join .

In collaboration with Mycorama  (Greece) and Unidos  (Uganda), Re-Alliance has been supporting Minak in a transformative mushroom growing project aimed at cultivating sustainable livelihoods in the Nakivale refugee settlement. This initiative, deeply rooted in permaculture principles, empowers women by teaching them to grow nutritious mushrooms in reusable containers, a practice that not only provides food security but also fosters community and economic independence. Why Mushrooms Matter Mushrooms are more than just a food—they are a symbol of regeneration. For those who have been displaced, or have limited land on which to grow food, mushrooms offer a way to address several pressing needs at once. They provide a reliable source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, helping to combat malnutrition. They can be grown using local waste materials, reducing the need for costly inputs, and they turn what would otherwise be discarded into something valuable that can be used or sold in the local market.  The Nakivale refugee settlement, one of the largest in Uganda, is home to thousands of displaced individuals, many of whom are women and children. By training groups of women in mushroom cultivation the project contributes towards combating malnutrition, particularly among children, introducing a reliable source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. The process is simple yet impactful: enabling communities to enhance food security, generate income, and improve local environments, thus aligning perfectly with permaculture’s ethics of earth care, people care, and fair share. It’s about creating abundance in harmony with nature, using resources wisely, and ensuring that the benefits are shared by all.  Integrating mushroom cultivation into the local ecosystem provides immediate food and income while contributing to the long-term ecological health of the area. By growing in reusable containers with organic waste materials the method minimises environmental impact while maximising social and economic benefits. A Model for Regenerative Livelihoods The project is part of Re-Alliance’s wider Camps and Settlements Guidelines research, through which Re-Alliance is capturing learnings from regenerative practices applied in displacement contexts and developing a range of accessible learning materials.  We invite you to learn more about the process of growing mushrooms in reusable containers and explore how you can apply these methods in your own community. The Minak process has been compiled into a short instructional booklet as part of Re-Alliance’s ongoing research and learning initiatives. Download the illustrated booklet (with beautiful illustrations by Inga Orsi) for free from the Re-Alliance publications page. Try it out, and share your experience with us, we’d love your feedback—let’s grow resilience together. Download the illustrated guide below, and view our other resources on our publications page . This guide is currently being translated into a range of languages. If you would like this guide to be made available in a specific language please get in touch at contact@re-alliance.org  to request this and we will see what we can do.

Re-Alliance have been working with School of the Earth Nea Guinea on the ‘Wind Mobile’ project, an action research project aiming to develop low-cost, locally manufactured micro wind turbines. The turbines can be used for cost-effective mobile phone charging services for refugees and IDPs within camps and settlements. We are looking for interested groups within the Re-Alliance network to create, together with our designer, a micro wind turbine design for their local context. This will involve having several online calls to get feedback on where the group works and what it does and to assess what materials, tools and skills are available locally. Following the calls, an initial small wind turbine design will be produced by our designer, which will be shared with the group to review. In the longer term, we can look into the possibility of building the system locally if this seems feasible. If you would like to work with our designer to create a micro wind turbine design, please email Kostas at School of the Earth: info@neaguinea.org. Please include in your email the name and location of your organisation and tell us a bit about your work and why you are interested in micro wind turbines. Locally manufactured wind-electric systems can empower communities to produce their own electricity. By emphasizing the use of local resources, both in terms of materials and tools and skills and expertise, both people and place are empowered. Turbines can be built by recycling and up-cycling waste materials and by collaborating with international technological and manufacturing networks, based on open-source knowledge exchanges. In this context, the ‘Wind Mobile’ project aims to develop a set of micro wind turbine designs for wind-electric mobile phone charging solutions within camps and settlements. Micro wind turbine designs have being developed as part of the ‘Wind Mobile’ project in collaboration with KOC Bridges to Peace https://www.bridgestopeace.org/ in Côte d'Ivoire, with Fablab Winam https://www.fablabwinam.org/ in Kenya, with Community Creativity For Development - CC4D https://cc4d.tech/ in the Rhino Refugee Camp in Uganda, and with the Habibi.Works https://habibi.works/ makerspace near the Katsikas refugee camp in Ioannina, Greece. The ‘Wind Mobile’’ project is supported by Re-Alliance and is developed within the School of the Earth Nea Guinea ‘Energy for a Common Future’ project, with the scientific support of the Rural Electrification Research Group (RurERG) of SmartRue (Smart Grids Research Unit ECE NTUA), and in collaboration with IEEE Greece Section SIGHT.

< 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

Re-Alliance Publications WASH academic review community care composting food growing fungi sanitation settlement design urban environments water management Booklet Building a Garden on the Roof This picture-led booklet, made in collaboration with GUPAP and Sporos, explores how to grow Permaculture-inspired gardens on the roof, especially designed for communities with limited access to land. More info and download Booklet Community Composting This illustrated guide explores how to establish composting at community scale, to build soil health, cycle 'waste', and grow community cohesion. More info and download Booklet 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. More info and download Booklet 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. More info and download Guideline Food Growing in Camps and Settlements: Collecting, Storing and using Rainfall and Grey water This practical guide covers approaches to growing food in camps and settlements with limited water. More info and download Booklet Gardening with Grey and Rain Water in Camps An illustrated guide of how to save and use grey water and rain water for food growing in refugee camps and settlements, made in partnership with SOILS Permaculture Association - Lebanon, and Malteser International. More info and download Booklet Growing Mushrooms in Reusable Containers How do you grow nutritious, edible mushrooms in reusable containers? This guide explores one method of using upcycled plastic containers to grow mushrooms for food. More info and download Booklet 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. More info and download Paper Testing Regenerative Design guidelines for Refugee Camps and Settlements A literature analysis examining the extent to which existing guidelines on camp management offer a regenerative approach in settlement design, shelter design, food growing and water and WASH. Includes recommendations for the production of future regenerative guidelines. More info and download Article Toilet Solidarity - Compost Toilets for All A review, published in the Permaculture Magazine, featuring compost toilet designs and the case for closed loop sanitation. More info and download

Increasing the impact and influence of regenerative responses to disaster, displacement and development Explore Re-Alliance free guides Re-Alliance promotes a regenerative vision, beyond sustainability, for the humanitarian and development sectors. From Permaculture gardens in refugee camps, to eco-building in disaster prone regions; eco WASH interventions, to integrated nature-based solutions for settlement designing: Re-Alliance members are showcasing how we can create stability, resilience and abundance, even in times of crisis. Watch Re-Alliance Videos Play Video Play Video 06:08 Winnie from YICE Uganda presents Ecosan composting toilets Join Winnie Tushabe, co-founder of YICE Uganda, and Ecosan user Uwizeye Salima, in exploring Ecosans. In the Nakivale refugee camp in Uganda, refugees are given a small plot of land to build a dwelling and farm food on. Re-Alliance's partner organisation YICE Uganda (Youth Initiative for Community Empowerment) is working with families to create kitchen gardens but yields are limited because the soil is poor. Re-Alliance and YICE collaborated to build eight urine diverting dry toilets (or ‘Ecosan’ toilets) for families. By separating the urine and faeces, the volume of composting waste is reduced, extending the capacity of the compost chamber and giving an immediate source of fertiliser in the form of urine, which, when diluted 1:10 - 1:20 with water, is an excellent fertiliser rich in nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Diverting the urine away stops the compost chamber from becoming anaerobic and smelly and the addition of wood ash or saw dust, after using the toilet, acts as a dehydrating cover material. This design used recycled plastic barrels as containers for the faeces, which ensures no ground pollution. Once nearly full, the barrel is moved aside and replaced with a fresh barrel. With the hot composting achieved inside the barrels, compost can be created in under 12 months in the Ugandan climate. The compost is used to enrich the soil around fruiting trees and bushes. Find out more about this design and create your own with our free guides on www.re-alliance.org/publications . Play Video Play Video 30:44 Designing Regenerative Change | Adapting Welcome to Re-Alliance’s Designing Regenerative Change series. Each of these bimonthly sessions focuses on a different stage of regenerative design processes. Grounded in regenerative paradigms and principles, and contextualised with inspiring real world examples from Re-Alliance members and the wider community, you will be guided on steps you can take to bring your regenerative vision to life. The topic of this session is Adaptation. As our contexts are always changing, and as our communities grow and evolve, or if we are faced with disasters or crises, how might we adapt to best meet ever changing needs? Join along with the activity here: https://jamboard.google.com/d/1L2fkfX0dyRz7kKkYT5k5xl136_EgZ-imBGq-QdhdQtA/edit?usp=sharing We are joined by special guest Jehane Akiki, founder of Farms Not Arms, a collective of designers, farmers, strategists, and agriculturalists who have come together to build an integrated, multi-agricultural educational farm model that heals land, health, and community. Farms Not Arms' first farm is in the Beqaa, Lebanon, bringing together refugees and host communities to increase food security, ease climate change, and promote social cohesion. To find out more about re-alliance events, visit re-alliance.org/events. Welcome: (0:00) Introducing Jehane Akiki: (7:15) How do Farms Not Arms integrate adaptive processes?: (12:20) Dispersed decision-making: (15:54) Coming back to your Vision: (18:17) Activity: (24:22) Play Video Play Video 40:54 Designing Regenerative Change | Reflecting Welcome to Re-Alliance’s Designing Regenerative Change series. Each of these bimonthly sessions focuses on a different stage of regenerative design processes. Grounded in regenerative paradigms and principles, and contextualised with inspiring real world examples from Re-Alliance members and the wider community, you will be guided on steps you can take to bring your regenerative vision to life. The topic of this session is Reflection. Once we are in the process of implementation, and we are delivering our regenerative projects, how might we build learning and reflection into the process? How might we be open to the things that go well, and also the things that don't go well that we can learn from? We are joined by special guests Timothy Salomon from the National Land Coalition in the Philippines, as well as Gisele Henriques from CRS. To find out more about re-alliance events, visit re-alliance.org/events. Welcome: (0:00) Introducing Timothy Salomon: (4:05) Making the unseen or less visible, visible: (5:22) Centring wellbeing in the process: (10:00) Welcoming Gisele Henriques: (21:06) An easy reflection tool: (25:12) Case studies and human stories: (27:08) Play Video Play Video 38:46 Designing Regenerative Change | Implementation Welcome to Re-Alliance’s Designing Regenerative Change series. Each of these bimonthly sessions focuses on a different stage of regenerative design processes. Grounded in regenerative paradigms and principles, and contextualised with inspiring real world examples from Re-Alliance members and the wider community, you will be guided on steps you can take to bring your regenerative vision to life. The topic of this session is Implementation. How might we deliver on our vision and our design? How do we still embed regenerative principles in the way we implement? We are joined by special guest Noah Ssempijja, the co-founder of YICE Uganda, who shares some experiences of delivering a project in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. Take part in the activity with this Jamboard: https://jamboard.google.com/d/1avwlKfZrD2LH4qG228Jdo2nJ0YSDU9y6vJyh69eWPG4/edit?usp=sharing To find out more about re-alliance events, visit re-alliance.org/events. Welcome: (0:00) Introducing Noah and YICE Uganda: (3:06) Adapting to changing and volatile circumstances: (7:36) Integrating regenerative principles in implementation: (21:23) Activity - reflection questions for you and your team: (35:01) Structuring your implementation plans: (36:49) Play Video Play Video 30:32 Designing Regenerative Change | Design for Action Welcome to Re-Alliance’s Designing Regenerative Change series. Each of these bimonthly sessions focuses on a different stage of regenerative design processes. Grounded in regenerative paradigms and principles, and contextualised with inspiring real world examples from Re-Alliance members and the wider community, you will be guided on steps you can take to bring your regenerative vision to life. The topic of this session is Design, the third session in the series. How might we best learn from the Visioning and Mapping stages, to put our ideas and plans 'down to paper'? What could it look like to make formalised plans for the upcoming work? We are joined by two special guests: Arnima Jain from Tarun Bharat Sangh (https://tarunbharatsangh.in/) and Faith Flanigan from Regenerosity (http://www.regenerosity.world). Join along with the design questions activity by making a copy of this Jamboard: https://jamboard.google.com/d/1NP2m8DqYoiZkHaOgrHja2Cvpoh5esvg5FyEBnemigLM/ To find out more about Re-Alliance events, visit re-alliance.org/events. Introduction: (0:00) Welcoming Arnima Jain: (02:06) A design thinking process: (04:53) Welcoming Faith Flanigan: (14:43) Designing through the lens of Permaculture ethics: (22:19) Designing across scales and cultural zones: (24:55) Play Video Play Video 01:02:00 Designing Regenerative Change | Mapping Welcome to Re-Alliance’s Designing Regenerative Change series. Each of these bimonthly sessions focuses on a different stage of regenerative design processes. Grounded in regenerative paradigms and principles, and contextualised with inspiring real world examples from Re-Alliance members and the wider community, you will be guided on steps you can take to bring your regenerative vision to life. The topic of this session is Mapping Resources, the second session in the series. How might we best work with our communities to help map out the resources we currently have available to us to help achieve our goals? What would it look like to map out the seen and the unseen elements of our Place, and the communities we're working with? We are joined by special guest Sarah Queblatin, founder of Green Releaf in the Philippines, and Living Stories Landscapes Project. Join along with the mapping activity by making a copy of this Jamboard: https://jamboard.google.com/d/1V5yksyrsAN_jLl8RYrjmuPZOowjNcd3Yha0L_jvFKO0/ To find out more about Re-alliance events, visit re-alliance.org/events. Introduction: (0:00) Welcoming Sarah Queblatin: (08:10) Why is process important?: (08:32) What do we need to map?: (11:39) Experiences of mapping: (23:10) Sarah's advice for mapping processes: (47:48) A mapping exercise: (53:16) Play Video Play Video 50:55 Designing Regenerative Change | Visioning Welcome to Re-Alliance’s Designing Regenerative Change series. Each of these bimonthly sessions focuses on a different stage of regenerative design processes. Grounded in regenerative paradigms and principles, and contextualised with inspiring real world examples from Re-Alliance members and the wider community, you will be guided on steps you can take to bring your regenerative vision to life. The topic of this session is Visioning Possibilities, the first session in the series. Why is it important to start with visioning? How do you go through this process with community? We are joined by special guests Filipa Pimentel from the Transition Network, and Jane Wegesa Fraser from Ecosystem Restoration Camps and Regenerosity. To find out more about re-alliance events, visit re-alliance.org/events. Welcome: (0:00) Why is Visioning important?: (5:58) Filipa Pimentel's story of using Visioning: (8:59) Advice for Visioning: (25:06) Processes for Visioning: (32:58) Practicing Visioning: (37:50) Jane Wegesa Fraser's story: (44:03) Conclusion: (49:34) Play Video Play Video 01:02:10 Re-Alliance Webinar | Regenerative Women of India This session introduces five women from regenerative organisations in India, and explores their work in partnership with Regenerosity and Re-Alliance. We hear from Aparna Bangia and Komal Thakur (Earth4Ever Conservation Foundation), Duhita Ganguly (The Timbaktu Collective), Preeti Virkar (Navdanya) and Arnima Jain (Tarun Bharat Sangh). From agroforestry, to permaculture, to seed sovereignty, to water harvesting, their work showcases a range of locally adapted regenerative solutions to increasingly challenging global problems. Join our membership As part of our network, whether a grassroots practitioner or a member of an international NGO or Aid organisation, you will have access to dynamic knowledge, a vibrant and active community of experts, and a wealth of opportunities for collaboration. Our membership is open to all. The only requirements are an interest, understanding or expertise in regenerative design, experience in the humanitarian or development sectors, and a willingness to comply with our code of conduct and policies. Find out more Read Articles James Atherton Rapid Relief, Long-Term Resilience: Is it possible to have a regenerative response to disasters? What could it look like if immediate responses to disasters could be regenerative? Juliet Millican Growing Resilience: Cultivating Mushrooms in Buckets in Nakivale Refugee Settlement In collaboration with Mycorama (Greece) and Unidos (Uganda), Re-Alliance has been supporting Minak in a transformative mushroom... Mary Mellett Wind turbines for mobile phone charging: An invitation to collaborate Re-Alliance have been working with School of the Earth Nea Guinea on the ‘Wind Mobile’ project, an action research project aiming to... Sign up for our newsletters For inspiring stories from our network of practitioners around the globe, to learning about how to integrate regenerative design into humanitarian and development contexts, sign up to our newsletter below. Sign up We can support you Re-Alliance and our members have hosted several training programmes for humanitarian and development organisations and agencies. We can help you and your organisation to integrate regenerative paradigms and practices into your operation, interventions, and policy. Contact us to arrange a meeting and find out more. Contact us