Stabilised soil bricks for durable, low-income housing - Khartoum, Sudan
Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.
A
McConkey
Nile Centre for Alternative Techology
+249910520382
PO Box 7275, 11123 Al Siteen, Khartoum
, KRT
, KRT
Less than a year
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Operating for less than a year
While in Khartoum for the past 11 years, working, hoping and praying for healthy development of the Sudan, several threads have slowly been coming together as we observe and interact with life here. There is, in general, little care for the physical environment. High quality research is not widespread and many science and engineering graduates do not continue to work in their fields due to lack of opportunity. Local business is often not involved in encouraging local innovation by carrying out research and development.
These threads have led to the idea of the Nile Centre for Alternative Technology (NileCAT) which we are in the process of registering. This centre is being modelled on the Centre for Alternative Technology (www.cat.org.uk) in the UK and will incorporate education, research and modelling of sustainable lifestyles.
We are seeking to encourage and support the healthy development of Sudan through such a centre by: helping to improve the scientific research base, currently considered key to development strategies; widening people's eyes to climate change issues and the need to actively care for the environment, something in its infancy in the Sudan but, we feel, a key uniting issue in a country that has many issues that could divide; promoting collaboration between private business, government and NGOs by opening doors for Sudanese young people to engage in locally relevant research that has an eye to a product which is commercially viable; being open with information and knowledge gained.
Our hope is that this will be good for the Sudan.
Fewer than 100
101‐1000
Tradition: People's willingness to change the way things have been done for years is crucial to obtain. The findings of the scientific research on SSBs, done locally, by local students needs to be communicated well and a 'show home' is worth a thousand words. The research must be rigorous and ethical so that conclusions hold weight.
Cost: For the lowest income bracket, anything other than the free mud bricks is difficult. Part of the overall project will involve micro-finance schemes. Several NGOs we are in contact with have experience with this in Sudan and are willing to assist. In addition, if SSB use increases there is potential for income generation for individuals or a community.
We see four distinct phases to the project, after funding is secured. The first is research leading to the best possible SSB from locally available material. This research is to be done by Sudanese graduate students supervised by NileCAT staff and will probably take from 6 months to a year. After the research phase comes implementation of a 'show home' and associated dissemination of the research. The 'show home' could be the NileCAT office but a building in a low income community would provide much greater exposure. The third phase, concurrent with the second, is growth in SSB use in and around Khartoum. Finally, this is probably in the third year at the earliest, individuals take up SSB production for income generation and leave Khartoum to make the technology available elsewhere.
Much of this is hypothetical as we have not secured funding yet!
The university will pay for NileCAT staff to supervise the graduate students. In addition, rather than buy new test equipment, universities here may have what is needed and be willing for us to use it.
NGOs such as UNEP and UNHabitat have already been helpful in providing information on, for example, the SSB project in Darfur including some of its strengths and weaknesses.
Businesses have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) departments and, for example, the DAL Group CSR manager is confident that some funding is available. The DAL group also has equipment we might be able to borrow and could help with freighting larger things.
The Brazilian Embassy is interested in the project as the press we are going to use is of Brazilian design and this type of building is popular there. There is also a group encouraging collaboration between Sudan and Brazil and we have a Brazilian linked to NileCAT who is working on this option.
Though the lowest income customers would not be able to pay for using a press or for SSBs, micro-finance schemes should allow customers to pay. Especially if we look to community level use of a press to build a number of homes.
Our hope is that the research will fairly quickly show SSBs to be a viable option here in Khartoum. It will be up to us to bring this evidence to the attention of the parties noted above and give them good reason for starting to support the project or continuing their support.
From NileCAT's point of view, handing over the technology to individuals and communities is our aim rather than continuing the project indefinitely. Therefore, we will encourage both environmental awareness and entrepreneurial thinking so that individuals will see the potential for the technology both within and outside of Khartoum.
Technology, Green housing, Environment, Income generation, Citizen/community participation.
We are actively working on partnering with the DAL Group which has many business holdings in Sudan. They have an active corporate social responsibility section.
There is nothing established yet.
Corporate social responsibility department.