Sunseed Desert Technology
Situated in a beautiful village in southern Spain, Sunseed is an English and Spanish Charity which aims to develop, demonstrate and communicate accessible, low tech methods of living sustainably in semi-arid environments.
Since 1986 hundreds of volunteers from around the world have come to work at Sunseed every year, working in all of their departments and participate in all aspects of community life.
Sunseed is a living community that offers its visitors the opportunity to learn how to live a greener life. They take their relationship with the local and global environment seriously, using permaculture principles to develop, demonstrate and communicate sustainable ways of living. A visit to Sunseed is an excellent way to learn to live more simply and launch yourself into a lower carbon life.
Their starting point for sustainable living is to reduce what they use. Activities that need energy are powered by technology that has the least detrimental environmental impact. All of their electricity and hot water is generated using solar energy, and they make use of solar cookers and solar food dryers whenever possible. All the water they use comes from rain water catchment and from the local river by means of a ram pump, power only by the natural flow of water. They re-use or recycle most of their rubbish, and all of their organic waste goes back into the ground as compost or into composting toilets.
Who comes to Sunseed?
Working holiday makers, students and long-term volunteers join their project to learn about all aspects of low impact living.
Longer-term volunteering is perfect for university placements, internships, dissertations or simply carrying out your own project and gaining experience. Sunseed is a ideal place also to visit for working holidays weather you come alone, as a group of friends or with the family.
Areas for volunteering
Volunteers can decide to work in their different departments depending on their interests and what they want to learn:
- Appropriate Technology: Encourages a reduction in what they use and promotes innovation in the use of available technologies to reduce their impact on the environment. Working on Appropriate technology the volunteers could learn about solar hot water heating, water pumping systems, photovoltaics, and waster water treatment. Projects in areas may include setting up a reed bed grey water treatment system, a biogas system, or the development of bicycle-powered machines.
- Drylands Management: Offers the possibility to work on reforestation, biodiversity and activities towards the prevention of soil erosion. Through observation of natural ecosystems, DM aims to understand the process of soil degradation and to use this knowledge as the foundation for dryland management practices.
Eco-Construction & Maintenance: Volunteers will work and learn about traditional and local ecological building methods and how to use material such as caña (local bamboo), lime, clay and cob, and stone. Projects may include the construction and maintenance of polytunnels, geodesic domes, thermal mass Rocket Stoves, dried stone walls, etc... - Organic Growing: The gardens offer the volunteers an educational hands-on experience in sustainable food growing using organic garden techniques on it's seven garden terraces using Organic Gardening, Permaculture and Policulture principles. Their goal is to grow food sustainably and eat as much of their own food as possible (around 50%), which reduces food miles and promotes practical self-sufficiency.
- Sustainable Living: co-ordinates the smooth running of Sunseed’s low impact lifestyle. The department oversees their food policy to ensure an ethical and healthy vegetarian diet (with limited dairy products). Volunteers could do many different activities such as: using of solar cookers and other appropriate technologies, baking bread, and preserving produce from the garden through jams and chutneys. Activities also include making home made and natural products such as tooth paste, soaps, creams, etc...
- Education, Publicity and Fundraising: co-ordinates the educational aspects of the project. It oversees the creation and dissemination of information, research and literature produced by Sunseed and networks with other organisations.
Volunteers can take part making information boards, playing educational games and taking part in guided tours.
Project Fees
Volunteer's participation fee covers vegetarian food and accommodation in Sunseed traditional Andalucian houses in: individual, double and multiple rooms. There are two options for your stay at Sunseed; part-time or full-time volunteers from one week to 12 months.
Part-Time Volunteers (PTVs)
PTVs typically come to Sunseed from two to five weeks. They work 25 hours a week, usually 5 hours a day in the mornings Monday to Friday and have the afternoons and weekends free. They may work in any of their departments and get to choose what they wish to do on a daily basis. The cost is 84€ per week
Full-time Volunteers (FTVs)
FTVs work 5 hours in the morning, same as the PTVs, with a few additional hours in the afternoon. In the afternoon FTVs can continue assisting departmental coordinators with ongoing work or on a project of their own. This project can be selected from their Volunteer Project Pack, or it can be designed here with the help of a departmental coordinator. For students this can be academic work contributing to a university or college course.
The cost is 74€ per week after that the cost diminishes as the stay lengthens (64€ after 4 weeks, 54€ after 8 weeks, etc...).
They are a friendly international community who work in beautiful and inspiring surroundings, enjoy delicious vegetarian food and have plenty of relaxation time. When not working they often organise activities such as: solar powered movie nights, yoga, dancing, etc..
Also in their free time volunteers can enjoy walking around the valley, going to swim in the river, exploring abandoned villages or visiting The Caves, as Sunseed is located in the Protected Natural Park Karsts de Yesos, one of the most important in Europe.
It is possible to go to the beach as well, as they are 60km far from the beautiful coast Natural Park Cabo de Gata.
Contact information:
Sunseed
Apdo 9, 04270 Sorbas, Almeria, Spain
Email: sunseedspain@arrakis.es
Phone: 00 34 950 525 770
Website: www.sunseed.org.uk