ActionAid to Support Youth Engagement in Strengthening Resilience of Farmers in Gaza

Gaza Strip- Dalia Abu Shawareb is an active young woman living in the Gaza strip who releases her potential and energy in serving her community during times of crisis through youth hubs supported by ActionAid Palestine through its local partner, Maan Development center to strengthen the leadership roles of youth and empower them to lead collective actions that address emerging needs in their communities resulting from the current emergency on the Gaza Strip, particularly in the agricultural sector.

Dalia dedicates her time, efforts and knowledge to serve Palestinian framers in Gaza amid conditions of repeated wars and illegal 17 years of air, sea and land blockade imposed on Gaza. The latest Israeli war against Gaza since October 2023 has caused unprecedent humanitarian catastrophe caused by bombing, displacement, blocking aid and destruction of infrastructure.  Dalia suffers from ongoing war that changes her life. Dalia says: “the war has had a significant impact on youth in the Gaza Strip — it destroyed infrastructure, internet and electricity, and brought our lives to a standstill”.

Dalia says: “We are ambitious and passionate young people. The youth hub is an inspiring part of our life that gives us hope, despite the war, destruction, and harsh conditions. We believe it's our responsibility to serve and support our community”.

Dalia stresses the importance of the role of youth during ongoing war. “The youth are the ones on the ground. They are the future of this society — they understand its needs and youth will be ones who will rebuild and develop our country”.

Palestinian framers are one of the most vulnerable groups in Gaza who are severely impacted by the war. Dalia says: “farmers in the Gaza Strip are facing severe crises due to the war — including the destruction of agricultural lands and equipment with airstrikes, restricted access to farms due to security constraints and the risk of bombing, as well as environmental and water pollution caused by weapons and bombing of agricultural facilities.”

Dalia highlights their hub’s intervention: “at the beginning, we conducted interviews with experts and focus groups with farmers, through which we identified their needs. Then, we installed solar energy systems for some farmers to operate water pumps, in addition to extending distribution lines to deliver electricity and water to multiple farms."

Dalia believes that is essentially to respond to needs of farmers: “it is essential to focus on supporting farmers and the agricultural sector to ensure food security under the blockade and to sustain the local economy, which currently serves as a source of livelihood for many families”. 

Dalia demands to promote youth’s role in supporting farmers. Dalia says: empowering youth to support farmers: first, community awareness about the importance of agriculture must be increased and organizing youth-led volunteer campaigns to help farmers with harvesting and land cleaning. Youth should be involved in agricultural initiatives and in launching advocacy and lobbying campaigns on social media to expose the violations faced by farmers”. 

Through this hub, Dalia’s skills, knowledge, and capacities were significantly enhanced through specialized training focused on participatory assessments during the emergency, developing response plans, and implementing effective monitoring measures.

Youth hubs support young people in pursuing their personal and professional development and foster their creative participation through volunteering. It is a pioneering effort to engage youth in addressing the pressing environmental and agricultural challenges facing Palestinian farmers. Through this initiative, young people will gain experience and knowledge on innovative methods and tools for supporting agricultural and environmental issues. The hub aims to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for the youth, fostering creativity and leadership in the fight against climate change. Young people are equipped with the means and capacities to inspire others for their ideas and lead change, through training on leadership, advocacy and project management, mentorship and mobility.

About ActionAid International

ActionAid International is a global federation working with over 41 million people living in more than 72 of the world's poorest countries. We envision a world characterized by justice and sustainability, where every individual has the right to a dignified life and freedom, and a world free from poverty and oppression. We strive to achieve social justice, gender equality, and eradicate poverty.

ActionAid Palestine began its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian people, believing in their right to enjoy freedom, justice, and self-determination. ActionAid Palestine implements several programs through its engagement with Palestinian communities and youth and women’s groups, aiming to empower women and youth and enhance their active civil and political participation to understand their rights and undertake collective action to address the rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation, in addition to improving their leadership capacity and practicing their citizenship in holding authorities and other duty bearers accountable.

For more information, please contact:

Riham Jafari 

Communication and Advocacy Officer at ActionAid Palestine 

Email: Riham.Jafari@actionaid.org