In the West Bank, Taeel’s Rooftop Became a Garden

For Taeel, a farmer in the West Bank, the land has always been more than a place to grow food. It is an identity, a livelihood and a connection to something larger than himself. Three years of conflict and repeated settler attacks made it harder and harder to reach his fields, but not impossible to keep growing food.

With support from Anera, Taeel transformed the roof of his home into a thriving greenhouse filled with rows of tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables.

“After three years of war and all of the difficulties,” he says, walking between the plants, “we started harvesting the crops about two weeks ago.”

The harvest has been more than he expected. “Thank God, we’ve harvested cucumbers and tomatoes, and planted strawberries and seedlings,” he says. “It has given us a sense of self-sufficiency,” and the produce doesn’t just feed his own family, he shares it with friends and neighbors.

Every morning, Taeel comes to the greenhouse first. He checks on the crops, walks among them, takes in the colors. “Honestly it’s beautiful, seeing the tomatoes, the fruit and all those colors,” he says.

Anera’s rooftop garden program equips families across the West Bank, Lebanon and Jordan with a sustainable system, planting materials and hands-on training, helping households grow their own food, reduce costs and build resilience even in the most difficult conditions. For families like Taeel’s, who have lost access to their farmland, a rooftop garden is more than a food source. It is a way to hold on.

You can support programs like this and more by becoming a monthly donor for as little as $10. Sign up today and help families across Palestine grow food, build hope, and find stability.

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