Gaza Sisters' Debris-to-Block Project Build Hope Advances in Global Youth Environmental Prize
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Sisters Tala and Farah Mousa's Build Hope project, which transforms building debris from Gaza into reusable construction blocks, has been selected as a top 35 finalist in The Earth Prize 2026. Their initiative aims to train 100 young people to produce the blocks, creating a sustainable material cycle. The project is the first from Gaza in the competition's five-year history.
Facts First
- Build Hope transforms rubble into reusable blocks for garden beds, pavements, and partitions.
- The project is among the top 35 finalists in The Earth Prize 2026, a global environmental competition for youth.
- Tala and Farah Mousa are the first team from Gaza to participate in the competition's five-year history.
- The plan involves teaching 100 young people to make at least 200 blocks, with a goal of reaching over 1,000 people.
- Seven regional winners will be announced in May, each receiving $12,500, with a global winner named on May 29.
What Happened
Build Hope, a project created by sisters Tala and Fara Mousa from Gaza, has been selected as one of the top 35 teams in The Earth Prize 2026. The project turns debris from damaged buildings into reusable, non-load-bearing blocks through a manual process of crushing, sieving, and mixing rubble with clay, ash, or glass powder. The Mousa sisters are one of five teams from the Middle East in this year's cohort and the first team from Gaza in the competition's five-year history.
Why this Matters to You
This project demonstrates how local, youth-led innovation can create practical solutions for rebuilding communities and managing waste in conflict-affected areas. The manual, machinery-free production method could be replicated in other resource-constrained environments, turning a problem—debris—into a usable community asset. If the project scales as planned, it may provide a model for sustainable construction and skill-building that empowers young people.
What's Next
The next phase of The Earth Prize will see seven regional winners announced between May 11 and 17, each receiving $12,500. The global winner will be announced on May 29. The Mousa sisters' plan to teach 100 young people to make at least 200 blocks is the next concrete step for Build Hope, with the goal of those individuals teaching others to reach over 1,000 people.