Self-sufficiency as a path to dignity.
In the ruins of Gaza, Thamra embodies its resilience.
Nurturing Resilience in Gaza
A Palestinian organization fostering food sovereignty. Working to achieve self-sufficiency and restore our land.
Thamra, which means “fruit” in Arabic, was created in 2024 by two Palestinians: farmer Yousef Abu Rabea and photographer Leena Almadhoun. Displaced as a result of the genocide, Yousef managed to hastily collect dry seeds and seedlings before evacuating his family farm. Yousef and his brothers later sowed the seeds and planted the seedlings, eventually allowing them to feed their family and share fresh vegetables with the surrounding community. Understanding self-sufficiency as a path to dignity during a painful time, Thamra supports Palestinians who lack the resources necessary to grow fresh, nourishing food.
Thamra mourns the losses of our co-founder Yousef Abu Rabea, 24, and Zakaria Abu Sultan, 30, a member of his team. Both were killed this past October, in an Israeli airstrike targeting Yousef’s home. His father and best friend were also injured.
Yousef used his talents as a farmer and agricultural engineer to feed hundreds of Palestinians during the ongoing famine in North Gaza. Zakaria worked beside him. As we grieve their passing, Thamra will continue our humanitarian mission under the stewardship of co-founder Leena Almadhoun. This is what Yousef and Zakaria would have wanted. We appreciate your support in carrying their legacy forward.
We appreciate your support in carrying their legacy forward.
Our Founders
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Yousef
FOUNDER + FARMING ENGINEER
Yousef Abu Rabea comes from a long line of farmers in Beit Lahia in Northern Gaza, where they grow Red Gold strawberries on land supported by groundwater from the mountains of Hebron in the West Bank. As part of the occupation, dams were built to prevent this groundwater from reaching the Gaza Strip, and today, the genocide has left the farmland all but devastated by artillery-borne white phosphorus, a potent carcinogen that lingers in the soil, poisoning farmers and making their crops unsafe to eat.
Having experienced displacement and loss, Yousef returned to Beit Lahia and salvaged seeds from the dry fields left behind. Together with his brothers, he sowed those seeds, revitalizing his family's agricultural legacy.
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Leena
PSYCHOLOGY STUDENT + PHOTOGRAPHER
Leena Almadhoun is a psychology student and photographer at the Islamic University in Gaza. She represents the resilience of young Gazans. Her family, originally from Majdal, was displaced in 1948, and her grandparents sought refuge in Jabalia refugee camp and eventually settled in Beit Lahia, hoping to one day return home.
She works with UNRWA shelter schools in Beit Lahia, providing services to thousands of young Gazans who were forced to flee their homes. Her current focus is helping children traumatized by the genocide, many of whom are experiencing social and developmental difficulties.
Our work
At Thamra, we focus on three key areas to uplift our community:
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We work tirelessly to ensure that the people of Gaza have access to fresh vegetables and fruits, contributing to the overall health and nutrition of our communities.
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Thamra is dedicated to creating urban gardens in homes—whether on balconies, in gardens, or atop rooftops. We empower families to grow their own food, promoting sustainability and self-reliance.
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Clean water is essential for life. We aim to repair and restore water wells in neighborhoods throughout Gaza, ensuring that our communities have access to this vital resource.
We invite you to support a vital agricultural project that is bringing life back to the land, following the destruction of the occupation and the famine its people are enduring.
With this project, we aim to distribute seedlings to families and to encourage their cultivation as a source of livelihood and renewed hope for life. Every donation, no matter how small, helps to restore greenery and growth to this resilient land.