community

The objective is to better family life; decrease human drudgery; promote an atmosphere of mutual support; increase people´s awareness of the nature and causes of community problems and learn a process to overcome them. Appropriate technology is an integral part of the training that GYTTE offers.

Community Development is a process which empowers people to improve the living conditions within their own culture, community and family. The GYTTE program fosters community development by offering workshops in realistic, low-cost and low-tech methods for improving daily life.

As people and communities search for ways to achieve the objectives of this program, it is vital that they take into consideration the preservation of the environment.

Some of the courses, classes and workshops are:

Fuel-Efficient Mud Stove

Working height base instead of traditional open fire on the floor

Less risk of fires and burn injuries

Uses less firewood than an open fire

Vented pipe eliminates smoke in the home

Two cooking surfaces

Easy to build

Economical construction supplies

Materials readily available

Solar Cookers

Easy and inexpensive to make with readily available materials
The slow cooking process preserves the vitamins and minerals in the food
Food cooks with solar energy

Dehydration of Fruits and Vegetables

Saves money by processing foods when they are in season and more economical

Processed food requires less storage space

Retains vitamins and minerals in the food

Simple process to learn and implement

Dry Composting Toilets

Uses no water (a limited resource in most communities)

Easy for families to build

Economical construction supplies

Materials readily available

Ecologically sound

Protects water sources

Provides resources:

Fertilizer-urea

Composted humanure

More information about Dry Composting Toilets

Alternative Construction Materials and Methods

Rammed Earth
Straw Bale
Clay-Straw
Adobe
Cob, etc.

Although adobe requires more expertise, the others are user-friendly construction methods

Water Pumping Systems:

Hydraulic Ram Pump

Rope Washer Pump

Solar Powered Pump

Crafts using Recycled Materials

Recycled Paper

Corn Husk Flow