Project Story

Per Auset is a living experiment in regeneration, unfolding on a once-abandoned island in the Nile in southern Egypt. What was previously neglected land is being carefully restored into a thriving ecosystem that supports both biodiversity and community life.

Rooted in Nubian land-based traditions and informed by ancestral knowledge systems, the initiative bridges ecological restoration with cultural renewal. The island project is not approached as a blank slate, but as a living system with memory that responds to conscious care and right relationship.

Through the regeneration of soil, the planting of trees, and the cultivation of diverse food gardens and medicinal plants, the land is gradually returning to productivity. Water-sensitive ecosystems, including pink lotus ponds, are being reintroduced to restore natural cycles and microclimates while enhancing biodiversity. The project also preserves and applies Nubian building techniques, food systems, and crafts, ensuring that restoration is rooted in local knowledge. It functions as a hands-on learning site where we engage in agriculture, construction, and land stewardship. The team is actively rehabilitating existing structures using local building methods and materials such as Nubians vaults and earth plastering.

At the same time, the project nurtures a parallel process of human reconnection, bringing together local Nubians and international community members to engage in practices of stewardship, learning, and collective care.

Our Mission

Our mission is to regenerate land while restoring the relationships that sustain it between people, ecosystems, and cultural memory.

We aim to create a model of regenerative living that is rooted in place, drawing from Nubian and Egyptian heritage while responding to present-day ecological and social challenges.

By integrating food systems, water stewardship, natural building, and community-based learning, the project functions as both a restoration initiative and an educational platform. It supports local livelihoods, preserves cultural knowledge, and offers pathways for individuals to actively participate in land, water, and community regeneration.

Background & Problem Statement

Across southern Egypt, many fertile Nile islands have been abandoned due to economic migration, shifts in land use, and changing social dynamics. As a result, these landscapes, once productive and biodiverse, have experienced increasing degradation. Many islands are also under threat of becoming commercial touristic developments with no connection to land or people.

Soil fertility declines without cultivation, native plant species disappear, and traditional ecological knowledge becomes fragmented or lost. At the same time, local communities face limited access to sustainable economic opportunities that are aligned with their cultural and environmental context.

This creates a dual challenge: ecological deterioration alongside social and cultural disconnection from the land.

Solution

The project responds through a holistic village regeneration model that integrates ecological restoration with community participation.

Key interventions include:

• Rebuilding soil health through organic and regenerative cultivation methods

• Planting trees and reintroducing native and adaptive plant species

• Establishing food and medicinal gardens to support local resilience

• Creating water-based ecosystems such as lotus ponds to enhance biodiversity and cooling

• Reviving traditional Nubian architecture using locally sourced materials

• Developing low-waste, low-impact systems aligned with the island’s natural cycles

• Reviving ancient Egyptian and Nubian crafts for painting, pigmentation, and product-making.

Each intervention is designed not as an isolated action, but as part of an interconnected system that strengthens the overall resilience of the land.

Opportunity

The regeneration of the island opens up new pathways for sustainable livelihoods, education, and cultural exchange.

Through immersive workshops, residencies, and land-based learning programs, participants are invited to directly learn and engage in regenerative practices. These experiences generate income streams that support the local community while creating meaningful engagement with ecological restoration.

The island’s location on the Nile offers a rare opportunity to explore water-based regeneration in one of the world’s most historically significant ecosystems. It has the potential to serve as a replicable model for restoring similar landscapes across the region.

How We Regenerate

Our approach is systemic, participatory, and rooted in long-term stewardship.

We work through:

• Regenerative agriculture and soil restoration

• Tree planting and habitat creation

• Water stewardship and ecosystem design

• Natural building and restoration of traditional Nubian techniques

• Cultural activation through shared practices, learning, and exchange

• Community-led economic models that prioritize reciprocity over extraction

This approach ensures that regeneration is not only ecological, but also social, cultural, and economic.

Tracking Impact

Our impact is monitored through both quantitative and qualitative indicators, reflecting the interconnected nature of the work.

Ecological impact includes:

• Number of trees planted and survival rates

• Expansion and productivity of cultivated land

• Soil regeneration and fertility improvements

• Increase in biodiversity and return of native species

• Establishment and health of water ecosystems

Community impact includes:

• Local employment and skill development opportunities

• Participation in workshops and educational programs

• Income generated through regenerative activities

• Strengthening of cultural practices and knowledge transmission

Qualitative impact includes:

• Improved sense of wellbeing and connection to land

• Increased awareness of regenerative practices

• Deepened relationships within and across communities

Over the next 12 months, this funding will support the regeneration of the land surrounding the future Nubian women’s arts and crafts center. The work will include planting trees, establishing food gardens, and creating water-based systems such as lotus ponds to restore soil health and increase vegetation cover. By mid-cycle, the first phase of planting will improve soil fertility, provide shade, and stabilize the landscape. As the gardens and ponds expand, they will enhance biodiversity, regulate the microclimate, and improve overall land productivity, creating a cooler, more resilient, and supportive environment for the women to gather, work, and sustain their craft.

Our Experience

The project is guided by a multidisciplinary team combining ancestral knowledge, practical land stewardship, and experience in facilitation and regenerative systems. Leadership is rooted in Nubian heritage, with deep understanding of local ecosystems and traditional practices. This is complemented by practitioners in ecological design, community building, and education, who bring experience from working across regenerative and cross-cultural contexts.

Mostafa Tag
Mostafa is a Nubian land steward carrying ancestral ecological knowledge rooted in traditional healing, medicinal plants, and water-based practices. As a descendant of a respected island healer, he plays a key role in restoring the island’s ecological balance and cultural traditions. His work focuses on reviving land-based knowledge and developing a regenerative, locally rooted economy that supports both community wellbeing and environmental resilience.

Jasmeen Hana
Jasmeen is a regenerative facilitator and founder of Bliss School, focused on holistic education and community-based learning. With over a decade of experience, she designs and leads programs in emotional intelligence, leadership, and embodied practices. At Per Auset, she supports community development, learning experiences, and the integration of social and ecological systems.

Christian Groß
Christian is a regenerative builder with experience in permaculture, reforestation, and sustainable construction. With a background in building and renewable energy systems, he contributes to developing resilient infrastructure and ecological systems. His work supports the creation of a self-sustaining landscape that integrates food production, resource efficiency, and long-term environmental stability.

Together, the team has developed and hosted land-based programs, restored ecological spaces, and facilitated transformative learning experiences. This combination of local grounding and global perspective allows the project to function as both a rooted initiative and a bridge for wider impact.