ArchiAfrika-April-Magazine-English-final-v2

The residents of Ezbet Al-Nasr needed to
rethink their garbage-related habits and
practices, and to consider it as an income
source to be used rather than a leftover
to be thrown away. Such a task was not
easily achieved without approaching the
local community directly through informal
meetings and discussions on the streets. While
installing the first biogas in the area, the team
arranged a session to introduce the idea to the
local residents. This session to raise awareness
about biogas was held under the theme “Let’s
not throw it, let’s make use of it.”
During the exhibition the Trash Becomes
Cash team prepared and distributed manuals
and other printed materials to spread the
idea and established a network between the
community, the funding agency and the
technicians involved in this new microindustry.
Although the team achieved satisfactory
results by introducing the residents to a
new sustainable technology, the continuity
of the project depends on the community’s
acceptance of the technology in the long run.
It can be a big step to begin reconsidering
organic waste as a resource that can help save
the residents money, rather than just garbage.
But this initiative may be a first step in the
right direction.
Informal settlements suffer from
many challenges associated with
the built environment. Bridging
academic research to realworld
practice, and technology
with socio-economic needs of
the community was the main
outcome of the intervention.
Above: Illustration of the Biodegradable process from the
organic waste to the Biogas
Left: Garbage in Ezbet Al-Nasr
Below Left: Schematic cross section in the applied
biogas unit (developped by the team based on the site
implementation)
Next Page: Installing the 1st Biogas Unit
Photos courtesy of Zeina Elcheikh
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