Yousef & Leena of Thamra
“Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.” (Psalm 126:6)
“This project is not only about planting seeds. It’s also about planting an idea: the idea of resilience and determination against all the attempts to uproot and displace people from their land.” - Leena
The other day, I introduced you to Hamada Shoo, a food blogger who uses his cooking skills to transform what meagre food remains in Gaza into filling meals for Gaza’s children. I also talked about how, despite his best efforts, the Israeli blockade of Gaza is what’s causing the starvation Gazans are experiencing, and how only by ending the occupation will humanitarian efforts prove anything more than a bandaid solution.
Today I’d like to introduce you to two more of your neighbours who are working to feed Gaza: Yousef Abu Rabea and Leena Almadhoun! Together, Yousef and Leena founded Thamra, an organization dedicated to developing agricultural self-sufficiency in Gaza through urban gardening, and which began its journey by distributing seedlings to 100 families in the north of Gaza.
If you’ve ever been to a protest for Palestine, you’re sure to have seen signs reading “they tried to bury us, they didn’t know we were seeds.” The phrase, which originally comes from Greek poet Dinos Christianopoulos, has become emblematic of resistance and resilience movements the world over, but for Palestine it is given additional resonance by the long lineage of Palestinian farming. From shepherding to olive pressing to orange growing, agriculture has been a core component of Palestinian communities and economies stretching back centuries. Like many other Palestinian families, Yousef’s family has tended their land in Beit Laiha, Northern Gaza, for multiple generations, with his family specializing in strawberries, also known as “Red Gold.” Yet, Israel’s assault on Gaza has not only killed its people but also devastated the land, with White Phosphorous, such as was used as early as October, remaining in and poisoning the soil.
For Yousef and Leena, herself a photographer and psychology student who works with displaced Gazan children, Thamra’s urban farming initiative is about refusing to be uprooted from the land that has always nurtured their communities. It’s also about refusing to give up on nurturing the land in return, even amidst abject destruction and with every possibility that one airstrike could destroy days of work. Even in the midst of death, Gazans are dedicated to life, even if it’s one seedling at a time.
“In spite of all this destruction, people are still insisting on staying, planting, and wanting to rebuild again.” - Yousef
With your heart: Pray for Yousef and Leena and the work of Thamra, that it might bring comfort, healing, and nourishment to the people of Gaza. Pray for an end to the genocide and the occupation. Pray for a rebuilding of Gaza and a flourishing of the land.
With your voice: Tell someone about the good work Thamra does, or share their work on social media
With your hands: Donate to support Thamra’s efforts
