New manual from the WAND Foundation

Our partner, the Water, Agroforestry, Nutrition and Development (WAND) Foundation has published a new manual titled "Ecosan-based Tree Planting Guide: The WAND Foundation Experience." This publication details our experience using humanure from the dry toilets into tree growing activities with small farmers as partners in the endeavor. The problems of biodiversity loss, poverty and deterioration of soils in the rural areas is a vicious cycle which if left unchecked would lead to a downward spiral of poverty and pauperism. Meanwhile tree planting activities suffer from lack of fertilizer thereby mortality of trees is high and growth stunted. Why not use human waste in tree growing activities? This publication demonstrates the various dry toilet systems we are using, waste collection and fertilizer production techniques, seedling nursery development, tree growing and field management activities. This is our contribution to the dearth in literature on the use of human waste in agriculture. Although this publication describes humanure-based fertilizer for medium-scale agro-reforestation initiative, the techniques can well be used in small tree planting schemes and household-level tree planting activities. 

Eco-Pee, Rain and Grey-water Conservation and Vegetable Gardening Initiative

The ALEY-NM started as a loose group of like-minded youths concerned about the deteriorating environment, poverty and the lack of opportunities in the rural areas especially in the uplands where soil erosion, low soil fertility, lack of water and erratic climatic conditions makes life very difficult.  Several ALEY-NM heroes started the initiative and to mention a few; Tine Mayeur, an indefatigable Belgian volunteer who lived and worked in the barrios in Libertad, Initao and Manticao in Misamis Oriental for 6 months in 2007; a group of students from the Mindanao State University doing their on-the-job-training; and, ordinary folks who try to seek solutions to the problems of resource degradation, poverty and the lack of opportunities for the youth in the rural areas.  In early 2008, a core group of youth leaders decided to formalize an organization and register it with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC, registration pending).  In 2008, the ALEY-NM made its first breakthrough when it became a finalist in a British Council-sponsored national competition entitled “I am a Change Maker” with the project on local biodiversity conservation and management.   This energized the association with the idea that, yes, indeed the youth can be catalysts for change! 

Our vision is “To be a model youth organization in Mindanao, willing and able to advance the cause of progress, sustainable development and promote the culture of peace.”

In June 2009, the ALEY-NM launched its newest project which is “Eco-Pee, Rain and Grey-water Conservation and Vegetable Gardening Initiative”.  The concept is simple and includes the collection of urine and using it as fertilizer, promoting vegetable gardening among youth members and their families and rain and grey water conservation with water to be used in the vegetable gardens.  The project gets its cue from cases around the world on the usefulness of urine as fertilizer and the fact that commercial fertilizer nowadays is very expensive with urea (45-0-0) at more than 2,000 pesos per sack. The WAND Foundation provides guidance and advice as well as small fund support for the implementation of the project.  The sustainable sanitation website (www.susana.org) is one of our useful references.