NGO "ANOTHER WAY" (STICHTING BAKENS VERZET), NETHERLANDS, SUSTAINABLE INTEGRATED SELF-FINANCING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGIES

The project requires the supply of many water tanks, water containers, well-linings, san-plats, toilet seats, and support structures. Many of these are traditionally made from concrete, using materials that have to be paid for in formal currency and are usually not available locally. Concrete and cement are environmentally unfriendly and are difficult to dispose of after use. Concrete water tanks can cost up to Euro 4000 per tank. Concrete products are also subject to production faults and cannot always be repaired when damage damaged. They are heavy and difficult to transport.

A practical alternative to concrete, is to use a new-age gypsum composite product. Gypsum composite production units can be established wherever there are local deposits of cheap gypsum (CaSO4 + H2O) or anhydrite (CaSO4 + 1/2 H2O) which are very common, occurring naturally in most parts of the world. They can be used to make cheap, ecological, hygienic tanks, well-linings, toilets and other products. Gypsum composite technology is a state-of-the-art technology originating in the Netherlands. It can easily be transferred to project areas where cheap gypsum and anhydrite deposits are present . The gypsum composite production units can make a major contribution to the regional economy after the project has been completed as well as manufacturing the products needed for the project itself. They are permanent industrial assets. They will be used to make various load-bearing structures and other building materials. Gypsum composites can even be used to weather-proof the mud walls of locally built houses and as a substitute for construction timber, reducing de-forestation.

Production units

The modest cost of production units for items made from gypsum composites will be funded within the project by interest-free green loans repayable, usually over a period of 3-5 years. The initial casting moulds for items made from gypsum can cost up to Euro 7000. These costs will restrict the initial range of products any single production unit can make. The top priority will be to service the needs of the project itself. Additional copies of the initial moulds are,

Gypsum/anhydrite are amongst the most common minerals on the earth’s surface and will often be present in individual project areas.

The presence of gypsum deposits in a given project area is, of course, an advantage. Where deposits are outside project area, materials will have to be transported to the production units. Where the supply zone is not an integrated development area with a local money system compatible with the one in the consumer area, «importation » of raw materials will lead to some financial leakage.

The distance between the gypsum/anhydrite deposits and the homes of consumers should always be considered.

Deposits should be marked on the maps accompanying each individual integrated development project. Where the existence of deposits in a given project area is not known, the cost of searching for deposits is included as a separate item in the project budget.

Wherever possible, deposits are taken over by the Cooperative for Project Execution and then handed over to the Permanent Cooperative for Management of Project Structures, which holds the deposits on trust for the populations where the quarries are situated. The populations receive full benefit within the local money system from the use of the raw materials. The rights of the Project Management to control over the quarries are inalienable.

Costs.

See graphic Units for the production of articles made from gypsum composites, items 60601-60606. The figure of € 169.500 has to be increased by items 70301 of the typical budget, for € 42.000 covering the first forms and moulds, and item 70306, for € 52.565 covering the costs of a consultant for the production of gypsum products.

The gypsum production units can only be built after the local money system for each project is in place and operative.

Stoves made from gypsum-based composites.

Gypsum composites will also be used to make high efficiency stoves. The stoves can stand temperatures of up to 500 degrees C. They will recycle heat from smoke circulated around the pot. The stoves can be safely carried by hand with boiling water in the pot and fire in the stove. Although they will work with any sort of fuel, mini-briquettes made from bio-mass will be produced locally under the project.

For a short summary on improved stove technologies see improved cook stoves at the Appropedia.org site.

Gypsum composites may also be used to make solar cookers under the LETS systems in applications where daytime cooking is not in contrast with local customs.

Some expected benefits from the use of gypsum-based stoves for each project area with 50.000 inhabitants, 10.000 families.

Elimination of the search for wood for cooking. Supposing 60% of families(being 60% of 10.000, or 6.000) x 4 hours’ search for wood a week (being 40% of a 10 hours working day) x daily revenue Euro 3, that is, Euro 1,20 per week x 6.000 women= Euro 7200 a week, or Euro 374.400 per project per year.

Reduction of the costs of purchasing firewood or equivalent for cooking purposes : 40% of families (being 40% of 10.000 families or 4.000 families). In larger centres, a 5 person family consumes wood (or equivalent) for a value of about 500 FCFA ( +/- € 0,75) per day. Assuming a reduction by 65% through the use of high-efficiency stoves, CFA 325 (being Euro 0,50) per family per day. 4000 families x Euro 0,50 x 365 = Euro 730.000.

Automatic reforestation 6.5kg (savings in wood for cooking) per day x 10.000 families x 365 = 23725 tons per year @ at standing value for pulp timber Euro 7.5 per ton = Euro 178.000 per year

Carbon reduction certificates under the Kyoto agreement. There is a market for some 20.000 to 30.000 high efficiency stoves in each project area. Supposing wood savings at 6.5kg of wood or equivalent per day, with 10.000 families, 65 tons of wood is saved each day. This converts into CO2 as 18705 tons of CO2 savings per year. Supposing a market value of just Euro 13,50 a ton, the amount of credit available (the amount at the moment of writing) would be +/- Euro 252.500 annually.

The creation of units for the production of articles from gypsum composites offers an example of how the social and financial structures already in place are used for the construction of new structures.

PRODUCTION UNITS FOR ITEMS MADE FROM GYPSUM COMPOSITES

The entire system for the management of the process for the production of articles from gypsum composites, stating from the management of the gypsum/anhydrite quarries, to the construction of the production units, the production the articles and their installation will be decided during Moraisian workshops, specifically covered in the budget for each project.

While details will be developed during the workshop, the production units will be highly labour intensive, with very low formal money investment requirements. The products can be hand-made without the need for machines, without energy resources except for human muscle power, yet with a professional level of finishing.

Usually one Moraisian organisational workshop will be held for all production units together.. However, one can also be held for each production unit.

Indicative participation (all workshops together)

The Moraisian trainers.
The project coordinator.
The general consultant.

Consultant gypsum composites.
At least one representative of the ONG.
Representative of the Ministry of Health.
Representative of the Rural Development ministry.
At least 5 observers (possible coordinators for future projects).
200 persons (men and women), indicated during meetings held at Tank Commission level, interested in participating in the activities of the factories. Where opportune, according to local political structures and traditions, up to 25% of the people could be indicated by the local chiefs.

Duration of each workshop: about six weeks.

The Workshops will be expected to produce the following structures:

a) Definition of the social form of the production units
- statutes
- rules
- professional and administrative structures
- financial aspects
- relationship with the local LETS systems

b) A structure for the supply of materials
- geological research for gypsum and/or anhydrite deposits
- locations of gypsum/anhydrite quarries, permits
- activities preparatory to exploitation
- logistics
- coordination of materials depots with the factories

c) Definition of the items to be made (tanks, toilets, stoves, solar cookers etc)
- coordination with the other production units (specialisation)
- contacts with families
- definition of requirements : articles and specifications
- definition of requirements : design, productive capacity
- definition of the necessary procedures
- preparation of moulds
- tests
- decision on priorities to be given to the various items

d) A structure for the factories
- land and necessary structures
- design of factories
- construction of factories
- purchase of necessary equipment

e) A production structure
- organisation of the production
- commercial organisation

f) A structure for the installation of the items produced
- Relationship factory-installers
- Preparation of the installers
- Installation
- Siting of boreholes/wells
- After sales backup and service

g) A structure for communications
- Vertical, at project level (project coordinator, factory manager, factory commissions, installers, end users)
- Horizontal, between production units
- With the local money LETS systems
- Commercial, radio, website

1. Opinion

Give a one-page give an explanation to the local populations showing how the production units depend on the social and financial structures already in place for their creation and how the service structures such as drinking water and sanitation systems still to be created depend in their turn on the production units.

2. Research.

Give a one page analysis of the differences between development structures of the type here presented and the traditional aid approach top production facilities in poor countries. Consider amongst other things the cooperative concepts (exclusion of employer/employee relationships) ; the use of local materials ; the local market ; the local money ; the supply of interest-free credits ; consultation with consumers ;safeguard of the environment.

3. Research.

Make a one-page report on the presence and exploitation of gypsum deposits in your chosen project area. Where applicable, given indications on the deposits closest to your chosen area. In this case make a calculation of the cost per ton at the quarry and the costs for transport of the raw materials to your project area.

4. Research.

After having spoken to women in your project area, make a list on one page of at least 4 articles in addition to the ones mentioned above which could be made from gypsum composites and the order of priority the women would give to their production. Explain why the women are particularly interested in the products in question.

◄ ►

◄ Fourth block : Section 4: Productive structures.

◄ Fourth block : The structures to be created.

◄ Main index for the Diploma in Integrated Development (Dip. Int. Dev.)

◄ List of key words.

◄ List of references.

◄ Course chart.

◄ Technical aspects.

◄ Courses available.

◄ Homepage Bakens Verzet

"Money is not the key that opens the gates of the market but the bolt that bars them."

Gesell, Silvio, The Natural Economic Order, revised English edition, Peter Owen, London 1958, page 228.

“Poverty is created scarcity”

Wahu Kaara, point 8 of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, 58^th annual NGO Conference, United Nations, New York 7^th September 2005.

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