Trees of Hope
With MGR’s support, and a handful of olive trees, Palestinians in Gaza are clinging more strongly to the land of their ancestors and a more hopeful future.
GENERAL
The olive is a tough tree with strong roots. It thrives in calcareous land, in a coastal climate, with little need for watering. Burn or fell it, and it can still grow back from the roots. In Palestine, the olive tree is more than just a source of food, income and shade. It is symbolic of the Palestinian people’s resilience, resistance and attachment to their land.
In the Gaza strip, an estimated 31 Km2 of land is cultivated with olive trees with over 20,000 families depending fully or partially on the olive harvest.
MGR has been supporting families in Gazan villages by planting olive trees. A gift of just 50 olive trees has given more than 10 Palestinian families food security, and the means to earn a living through olive farming.
The project has also created jobs, where local people are hired to level, prepare and fertilize the selected land prior to cultivation. The workers are charged with sourcing, transporting, planting and watering the gifted saplings.
MGR’s Gaza team also runs an awareness raising sessions for the farmers and beneficiary families, with every batch of gifted trees. The sessions provide them with skills and best practice techniques for olive farming.
Proud of their new trees, the farmers are nurturing them with care and devotion. More than anything, these trees have given them confidence and hope for a better future. With them, they’re working to improve their economic situation even in an ongoing humanitarian crisis. With them, they can remain rooted to their homeland.
The cost of gifting one olive tree is Gaza is £20. Donate to our Grow a Fruit Tree Project today. Give hope through sustainable solutions to people who just need a little support to gain economic stability.