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(Book) Construction Manual for Earthquake-Resistant Houses Built of Earth
The solutions proposed in this manual concentrate on low-cost single-story houses, built from earth in rural areas of earthquake-prone zones. They are based on research projects carried out at the Forschungslabor für Experimentelles Bauen (Building Research Laboratory) of the University of Kassel,...
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(Book) Pastoralism, Uncertainty and Development
Shibaji Bose, Roopa Gogineni, Natasha Maru, Tahira Mohamed, Michele Nori, Linda Pappagallo, Giulia Simula, Masresha Taye, Palden Tsering
In the drylands and mountains where pastoralists live, uncertainty is everywhere. In these settings, negotiating access to resources, navigating volatile markets, making use of varying social relations in times of stress, and responding to conflict and complex political dynamics is essentia... -
(Book) Ten Rules for Energy-Efficient, Cost-Effective Brick Firing
Rules for brickmakers and field-workers to increase the efficiency of the brick-firing process.
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(Book) Wind Pumping
This document examines the principles of wind energy conversion and looks at the types and characteristics of rotors, as well as the importance of matching rotor with pump.
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(Journal Article) Schoolgirls’ experiences of changing and disposal of menstrual hygiene items and inferences for WASH in schools
01.10.2015
Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) challenges during changing and disposal of menstrual items are important in low-income countries (LICs) where schools lack sufficient water and sanitation. Changing in poorly maintained latrines may expose girls to excrement and infection. We examine the frequency of dropping menstrual items and disposal of waste by schoolgirls in a menstrual solutions feasibility study in western Kenya. Drops when changing were reported in 17 per cent (20 per cent <16 years; 16.5 per cent 16 years plus; p=0.04) of girls’ reports overall. Differences by socio-economic status were not evident. Fifty-four per cent of girls dropped at least once. A quarter of girls using pads and cups reported drops in the first few months, reducing to 10 per cent over time, compared with ~30 per cent among traditional item users. One in four accidental drops occurred at school during the study. When dropped at school, most girls swapped the dropped item for a new one, but 24 per cent brushed/washed the item and reused it. While no clinical events occurred during this study, data suggest dropping within latrines could place girls at potential risk of exposure to infection. Disposal of items, or emptying cups, was mostly into the latrine. We conclude that accidental dropping of menstrual items while changing is common, including at school. Prevention will be helped by improving poorly constructed sanitation facilities, shelving, privacy, and staggering/increasing break time for girls to change. Provision of special garbage bins to prevent clogging and overflow of latrines is recommended. -
(Book) The Construction of Timberless House Model
The conflict in Darfur, which most analysts judge to have started in 2003 has had a devastating effect on the region. Many of the internally displaced people (IDPs) who were forced to flee their homes have ended up living in make-shift camps around the major cities such as Alfashir, Algenenina and N...
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(Book) Design, fabrication and testing of a millet thresher
A thresher was developed for threshing, separating, and cleaning millet seeds. The major components of the machine include threshing, separation and cleaning units.
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(Book) How to Grow Your Own Onion Seed
Here is some basic information on how to grow onions and produce onion seeds. The document focuses on Burkina Faso but this approach can be used in many other locations.
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(Book) Natural Dyeing of Textiles
This fact sheet looks at types of textiles, equipment, dyes and mordants for home dyeing and very small-scale commercial dyeing.
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(Journal Article) Comparative resilience of Somali grain and livestock market systems
01.03.2022
Livestock and grain market systems in Somalia’s South West State, while vital to food security and household income, are affected by recurrent shocks, including insecurity, climate shocks, pests and livestock disease, desert locusts, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The fact that markets continue to function indicates a substantial degree of resilience. Findings from a mixed-method assessment across eight domains of system resilience indicate that the grain market system is more resilient than the livestock market system in three key domains: business strategy, diversity, and connectivity. Results show that grain businesses recover more quickly and are more likely to take action to achieve recovery than livestock businesses. When confronted by thin markets, practitioners have tended to respond by strengthening existing market actors, with the goal of filling critical gaps in the market. However, our findings provide new types of information to address systemic issues and strengthen market system resilience. -
(Book) Perspectives énergétiques des populations pauvres 2017
L’accès à l’énergie est au coeur du développement durable car il favorise, entre autres, les progrès en matière de santé, d’éducation et d’émancipation des femmes. Forte de ce constat, la communauté mondiale s’est engagée à faire de l’accès à l’énergie l’un des objectifs de développement durable pou...
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(Book) Promoting Local Innovation in Sudan
The aims of this publication are to focus on the collection and classification of Sudanese local innovations using a "bottom-up" approach, to take into account the historical depth and the potential use that may highlight the continuity and changes in local innovations as indicators of society trans...
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(Book) Diseases and Pests that affect onion cultivation and their management
This technical brief explains about the diseases and pests that affect onion farming and their management and prevention.
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(Book) Roofing Options: Filler Slabs
Filler slabs, consume less concrete and steel as compared to conventional slabs, due to the use of less-heavy, low-cost filler material such as rejected Calicut tiles, clay pots and broken pieces of cement blocks. This technical brief describe the technology of filler slab.
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(Book) Low Cost Incinerator Construction Notes
Guide for the construction of a low cost incinerator
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(Book) Removing Arsenic From Water
This brief outlines the different arsenic removal methods and technologies that are available for use with small-scale supplies in developing countries.
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(Book) Woodworking
Running a successful woodworking enterprise is dependent on many factors, some of which are covered here.
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(Book) Peasants and the Art of Farming
Peasants and the Art of Farming: A Chayanovian Manifesto focuses on the structure and dynamics of peasant farms and the historically highly variable relations that govern the processes of labour and production within peasant farms. Jan Douwe van der Ploeg argues that peasant agriculture can play an...
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(Book) Enabling Energy Access for the Poor
Achieving universal energy access by 2030 will require a change from ‘business as usual’ approaches in policies, financing, and implementation. Practical Action’s Poor People’s Energy Outlook series has focused on what energy access means for the poor, and what will be needed to address it. This bri...
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(Book) Rural Community Water Supply
The first Water Decade aimed to serve everyone with safe drinking water by 1990. More than three decades later, the task is far from finished; it is now abundantly clear that it will take more time — in some countries much more time — than the 15 years of the Sustainable Development Goals. Despite t...