On Oct. 1, we began training 20 women from Khirbet Al Adas, a small village in northeast Rafah, the start of our long awaited Home Gardening Project. Its a small community of Bedioun refugees who were exiled from mostly Beir Sheba in 1948. Most of the men in the village worked in Israel as construction workers, but in 2000 they lost their jobs with the beginning of the Intifada. Most are unemployed, adding to Gaza's growing 60% unemployment rate, and like everyone else do little jobs here and there, but mostly rely on UNRWA's food hand outs which come out every 3 months. Handouts mostly consist of dry milk, flour, sugar and dried lentils, but are never enough to feed the family especially when most of Gaza's families average 8-10 children.
This particular community was chosen for several reasons. The main one being that the area is somewhat isolated and therefore neglected. Located on the Gaza's easter border with Israel they do not have access to the rest of Rafah and therefore are indirectly neglected by UNWRA and other international organizations. These agencies shy away from such communities because of the risk involved in getting so close to the border. A border that belongs to one people, but controlled by another. Additionally, the Bedouin communities tend to be forgotten about or ostracized by most.
The second reason as to why the community of Khirbet Al Adas was chosen is because there is no infrustructure as compared to the rest of Rafah. Most of the houses are two bedroom asbestos infested homes, with more than ten people living in them, between dirt roads and cactus trees with very little space to spare.
And the final reason, and probably the most important we chose this community is because they have a space for, but cannot afford to invest in a garden. In the past, most of these families have been denied help from agricultural organizations because their gardening space was too small for farming, so they would not qualify to receive any sort of help in starting these gardens. There are two farming/agriculture categories in Gaza, two extremes, urban agriculture and large scale farming. Urban agriculture refers to roof top gardening which is what most of Gazans do because of limited space in and around their homes. And then there is large scale farming, which is mostly done with large pieces of land, mostly in norther Gaza such as Biet Hanoun and Biet Lahiya. The community of Kherbit Al Addas falls in between these categories. Most of the families there do not have large pieces of land for large scale farming, but also don't have the roves for urban-roof top gardening, but do have a small space of 100 metes or less in or around their homes.
This is why this project is unique, while simple and small scale, it serves those families who have the space for a garden, but not the means to start growing it. We are merely planting a seed for sustainable development, but also self sufficiency so that these families can benefit from these gardens in providing for themselves and their families.
And with this we began on Oct. 1 our training and on Oct. 3 the 20 women will begin gardening. We will continue to update you with pictures and thank you for your support. We have come a long way, despite the many challenges of working in Gaza, especially in the recent months, and would not have done it without your support and help.
This particular community was chosen for several reasons. The main one being that the area is somewhat isolated and therefore neglected. Located on the Gaza's easter border with Israel they do not have access to the rest of Rafah and therefore are indirectly neglected by UNWRA and other international organizations. These agencies shy away from such communities because of the risk involved in getting so close to the border. A border that belongs to one people, but controlled by another. Additionally, the Bedouin communities tend to be forgotten about or ostracized by most.
The second reason as to why the community of Khirbet Al Adas was chosen is because there is no infrustructure as compared to the rest of Rafah. Most of the houses are two bedroom asbestos infested homes, with more than ten people living in them, between dirt roads and cactus trees with very little space to spare.
And the final reason, and probably the most important we chose this community is because they have a space for, but cannot afford to invest in a garden. In the past, most of these families have been denied help from agricultural organizations because their gardening space was too small for farming, so they would not qualify to receive any sort of help in starting these gardens. There are two farming/agriculture categories in Gaza, two extremes, urban agriculture and large scale farming. Urban agriculture refers to roof top gardening which is what most of Gazans do because of limited space in and around their homes. And then there is large scale farming, which is mostly done with large pieces of land, mostly in norther Gaza such as Biet Hanoun and Biet Lahiya. The community of Kherbit Al Addas falls in between these categories. Most of the families there do not have large pieces of land for large scale farming, but also don't have the roves for urban-roof top gardening, but do have a small space of 100 metes or less in or around their homes.
This is why this project is unique, while simple and small scale, it serves those families who have the space for a garden, but not the means to start growing it. We are merely planting a seed for sustainable development, but also self sufficiency so that these families can benefit from these gardens in providing for themselves and their families.
And with this we began on Oct. 1 our training and on Oct. 3 the 20 women will begin gardening. We will continue to update you with pictures and thank you for your support. We have come a long way, despite the many challenges of working in Gaza, especially in the recent months, and would not have done it without your support and help.
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