Gaza Sisters Win $12,500 Earth Prize for Turning Rubble Into Reusable Bricks
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 13
Gaza Sisters Win $12,500 Earth Prize for Turning Rubble Into Reusable Bricks
6 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 13
$12,500 from the Earth Prize will fund Farah and Tala Mousa’s plan to train about 100 young people in Gaza to make reusable bricks from war debris.
The teenage sisters developed the low-cost, lightweight blocks after their home was bombed and repeated displacement left them living in a tent amid widespread rubble.
Their process crushes and sieves debris before mixing it with clay, ash and glass powder, producing bricks for non-load-bearing uses such as pavements, partitions and garden beds.
The idea targets a vast reconstruction need in Gaza, where 1.9 million people have been displaced and damage was estimated at $70 billion by early 2025, while large-scale rebuilding has yet to begin.
Can an award-winning teen invention truly begin to rebuild a city buried under 68 million tons of rubble?
As teens turn rubble into hope, what political roadblocks prevent Gaza’s official reconstruction from beginning?
"Build Hope" Wins 2026 Earth Prize Middle East: Gaza Sisters Transform War Debris into Sustainable Building Materials
Overview
The Earth Prize, a global competition for young innovators, has announced its 2026 regional winners, highlighting outstanding teams from seven regions. On May 13, Tala and Farah Mousa from the Middle East were named regional champions for their project 'Build Hope,' which was previously shortlisted and competed against strong entries from Turkey and Lebanon. Their achievement showcases the diversity and impact of youth-led solutions to environmental challenges, as emphasized by Earth Foundation founder Peter McGarry. The recognition of these regional winners sets the stage for the upcoming selection of the overall global winner.