Fostering the transformative potential of participatory photography: Insights from water and sanitation assessments

Transformative research and evaluation both aim to foster social change as part of the inquiry process, often leveraging participatory and tactile methods with an advocacy objective. One such approach is participatory photography which engages marginalized individuals in image creation and includes activities such as photovoice and photo-elicitation. This article considers opportunities to strengthen the transformative potential of participatory photography activities within the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector. The research comprised two components: 1) a systematic literature review of participatory photography activities in the WASH sector (n = 32) and 2) an empirical case of a photovoice evaluation of a staff-focused gender mainstreaming intervention in Cambodia (n = 20), including a structured survey, structured observations of the evaluation process, and three participatory reflection workshops with program leadership. Drawing on the two components, we reflect on the extent to which photography-based approaches in the WASH-sector have been transformative. Our findings indicate that transformative potential can arise from participatory photography’s process and outcomes. The research identified opportunities for the WASH-sector to strengthen participatory photography by 1) purposefully recruiting participants, 2) creating engaging orientation opportunities, 3) supporting participants in ethical image creation, 4) facilitating image interpretation, and 5) progressing photo-stories into advocacy. The study also considers how participatory photography can address gender inequalities inherent in photography, hence seeking gender-transformation. While these insights were derived for participatory photography activities in the WASH sector, the findings and implications have relevance in other sectors that seek to investigate complex change and foster transformations.</jats:p

Disasters and climate change in the Pacific: adaptive capacity of humanitarian response organizations

© 2014, © 2014 Taylor & Francis. Climate change is likely to affect the pattern of disasters in the Pacific and, by extension, the organizations and systems involved in disaster response. This research focused on how immediate humanitarian health-related needs following disasters are met using the concept of adaptive capacity to investigate the resilience of organizations and the robustness of the broader system of disaster response. Four case study countries (Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, and Vanuatu) were chosen for deeper investigation of the range of issues present in the Pacific. Key findings were that adaptive capacity was enhanced by strong informal communication and relationships as well as formal relationships, appropriate participation of traditional leaders and churches, and recognition and support for the critical role national disaster management offices play in disaster coordination. Adaptive capacity was found to be constrained by lack of clear policies for requesting international assistance, lack of coordinated disaster assessments, and limited human resources for health in disaster response. Limitations in psychosocial support and Australian medical services to meet specific needs were observed. Finally, the research revealed that both Pacific and Australian disaster-response agencies would benefit from a strengthened ‘future’ focus to better plan for uncertainty and changing risks

Reaching all in rural sanitation: experiences from inclusive programming in five countries

© 2020, © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. There is a need to reflect on approaches to reaching all in rural sanitation, given evidence that disadvantaged groups often miss out on benefits from programmes. This article presents approaches from area-wide rural sanitation programming undertaken by SNV across five countries. Analysis identified ten strategies used in combination to support inclusion. The article describes the strategies and their application, then presents four implications for the rural sanitation sector: the value of a “toolbox” approach; co-creation of strategies with stakeholders; recognition of local government as a driver of inclusive services; and the need to strengthen evidence on how strategies contribute to success

Genome Sequence of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia PML168, Which Displays Baeyer-Villiger Monooxygenase Activity

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia PML168 was isolated from Wembury Beach on the English Coast from a rock pool following growth and selection on agar plates. Here we present the permanent draft genome sequence, which has allowed prediction of function for several genes encoding enzymes relevant to industrial biotechnology, including a novel flavoprotein monooxygenase

Nonlinear Dynamics of Aeolian Sand Ripples

We study the initial instability of flat sand surface and further nonlinear dynamics of wind ripples. The proposed continuous model of ripple formation allowed us to simulate the development of a typical asymmetric ripple shape and the evolution of sand ripple pattern. We suggest that this evolution occurs via ripple merger preceded by several soliton-like interaction of ripples.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, corrected 2 typo

Development of SimCells as a novel chassis for functional biosensors

This work serves as a proof-of-concept for bacterially derived SimCells (Simple Cells), which contain the cell machinery from bacteria and designed DNA (or potentially a simplified genome) to instruct the cell to carry out novel, specific tasks. SimCells represent a reprogrammable chassis without a native chromosome, which can host designed DNA to perform defined functions. In this paper, the use of Escherichia coli MC1000 ∆minD minicells as a non-reproducing chassis for SimCells was explored, as demonstrated by their ability to act as sensitive biosensors for small molecules. Highly purified minicells derived from E. coli strains containing gene circuits for biosensing were able to transduce the input signals from several small molecules (glucarate, acrylate and arabinose) into the production of green fluorescent protein (GFP). A mathematical model was developed to fit the experimental data for induction of gene expression in SimCells. The intracellular ATP level was shown to be important for SimCell function. A purification and storage protocol was developed to prepare SimCells which could retain their functions for an extended period of time. This study demonstrates that SimCells are able to perform as 'smart bioparticles' controlled by designed gene circuits

Use of a non-homologous end-joining-deficient strain (delta-ku70) of the biocontrol fungus Trichoderma virens to investigate the function of the laccase gene lcc1 in sclerotia degradation

The aim of this study was to apply a generated Δtku70 strain with increased homologous recombination efficiency from the mycoparasitic fungus Trichoderma virens for studying the involvement of laccases in the degradation of sclerotia of plant pathogenic fungi. Inactivation of the non-homologous end-joining pathway has become a successful tool in filamentous fungi to overcome poor targeting efficiencies for genetic engineering. Here, we applied this principle to the biocontrol fungus T. virens, strain I10, by deleting its tku70 gene. This strain was subsequently used to delete the laccase gene lcc1, which we found to be expressed after interaction of T. virens with sclerotia of the plant pathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Lcc1 was strongly upregulated at early colonization of B. cinerea sclerotia and steadily induced during colonization of S. sclerotiorum sclerotia. The Δtku70Δlcc1 mutant was altered in its ability to degrade the sclerotia of B. cinerea and S. sclerotiorum. Interestingly, while the decaying ability for B. cinerea sclerotia was significantly decreased, that to degrade S. sclerotiorum sclerotia was even enhanced, suggesting the operation of different mechanisms in the mycoparasitism of these two types of sclerotia by the laccase LCC1