In addition to providing a marketplace for products created by Palestinian farmers and artisans, Olive Branch Fair Trade makes monthly donations to support several visionary non-profit organizations working in Palestine and Israel. We hope you will visit their websites and read their stories.
Trees for Life
2019 Trees for Life full report
PLANTING HOPE IN PALESTINE: Trees for Life is a Palestine Fair Trade Association (PFTA) program that gives thousands of olive trees to farmers starting out, as well as smaller farmers and those whose trees or lands have been destroyed by Israeli forces.
Since 2006, the project has planted over 173,000 trees! Trees for Life is funded solely by grassroots movements abroad and solely invested in the Palestinian fair trade movement in Palestine. This project helps offset the enormous destruction of olive trees by the Israeli occupation army in Palestine.
YOU CAN HELP: You can support Trees for Life and plant olive and almond trees in Palestine. $20 plants 3 olive trees or 6 almond trees. They make great gifts that give twice! You will get a certificate to present as a gift. A number of solidarity communities sell tree sponsorships to both fundraise and help Palestinian farmers. Our farmers thank you. Together, we keep Palestine alive.
Please go to www.landofcanaanfoundation.org to support TREES FOR LIFE.
The Land of Canaan Foundation
SUSTAINABLE FARMING
The Land of Canaan Foundation exists to support the farming communities of Palestine. We support the programs of two Palestinian non-profits and their projects.
CORE: The Canaan Center for Organic Research and Extension (CORE) is a non-profit national center to improve the livelihood of Palestinian small scale farmers and their communities through sustainable ecological organic farming. They use research and innovation, training and extension, and sharing knowledge and cooperation to achieve their goals.
CORE uses the participatory approach where Palestinian farmers identify their real needs and are therefore vested in the success of the projects.
PFTA: The Palestine Fair Trade Association (PFTA) is the largest fair trade producers' union in Palestine, with over 1700 small Palestinian farmers and 200 women producers joined in 50 village-based fair trade cooperatives. They empower their members economically and socially through fair trade and organic farming, capacity building, and certification, enabling small and marginalized producers to overcome some of the challenges of military occupation by giving them access to international markets.
Please go to www.landofcanaanfoundation.org to learn more about and support SUSTAINABLE FARMING.
WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT
The Palestine Fair Trade Association (PFTA) and Canaan Center for Organic Research and Extension (CORE) have a micro project development program dedicated to "improving women's livelihood through sustainable enterprises".
PROJECT OVERVIEW: Empowering women has become a key element in the development of an economy. With women's empowerment comes family and community empowerment. The funds create a sustainable source of income for women beneficiaries through supporting them to initiate and develop their own businesses and transfer their entrepreneurship ideas into reality.
MICRO-GRANTS: The project is open to individuals and organized groups of women. Applications and business plans are evaluated based on set criteria: they should give the women beneficiaries the opportunity to be economically independent, be decision makers, pursue a career, prove themselves and have a role in their family and community development. One time micro-grants averaging $5000 to $7000 are awarded based on fund availability.
Please visit www.landofcanaanfoundation.org to read more and support the successful WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT Projects.
WE ARE NOT NUMBERS
"When the world talks about Palestinians living under occupation and in refugee camps, it is usually in terms of politics and numbers – how many killed, injured, homeless and/or dependent on aid.
But numbers are impersonal, and often numbing. What they don’t convey are the daily personal struggles and triumphs, the tears and the laughter, the aspirations that are so universal that if it weren’t for the context, they would immediately resonate with virtually everyone.
The mission of WeAreNotNumbers.org is to pair professional mentors from around the world with Palestinian youth from Gaza and elsewhere to help them tell and share their stories."
Show your support and educate the world by:
· Visiting WeAreNotNumbers.org.
· Reading their stories, viewing their artwork, watching their videos.
· Sharing them with your network.
· Finding other venues to publish and share them.
· Subscribing to receive updates via email.
· Donating to keep the project going!
Combatants For Peace
Combatants for Peace, founded in 2006, is a non-profit, volunteer organization of ex-combatant Israelis and Palestinians, men and women, who have laid down their weapons and rejected all means of violence. (They) are working together to end the occupation of Palestine, bring just peace to the land, and demonstrate that Israelis and Palestinians can work and live together.
"The children of Israel and Palestine can no longer imagine what peace looks like.
Please, help us create a different future for them."
-Udi Gur, Israeli CFP Activist
www.cfpeace.org to donate please visit American Friends of Combatants for Peace www.afcfp.org
Mashjar Juthour, hired first staff members in 2013.
“The 10 dunams (2.5 acres) of heritage land was purchased in April of 2013 with the vision of creating an arboretum and eco-park. It is situated on the hillside of Thahr al Okda, in the outskirts of Ramallah just before Ein Kinya in Area C. Though obtained in a state of great disrepair, it was an absolutely beautiful space, traditional terraces and ancient olive trees surrounded by wild oaks, hawthorns and more.
In addition to being very committed lovers of trees and nature, the founders believed, if anything, that there was a great need for natural space in Palestine, a protected grounds where a collection of safeguarded indigenous plants and trees could be open to the public. Also, with the amount of plastic bags and bottles strewn around the countryside, it's like a "come on, people!" kind of situation. Basic awareness engenders fierce advocacy, so start with the basics!”
For beautiful photographs and more details, please visit www.juthour.org
Working with partners in the West Bank for ten years, 1for3, a section 501(c)(3) registered non-profit in Massachusetts, has identified four dominant challenges in the everyday lives of Palestinian refugees. Like families anywhere, the intersection of water, food, health, and education is critical for the everyday wellbeing of refugees. Living under occupation exacerbates challenges to preserving the robust relationship between water, food, health, and education that is already under threat in camp conditions. 1for3 works at the intersection of these four components. We call this intersection the Water - Food - Health - Education Nexus, and our programs support these four areas of need.
Please sign up for the annual WALK FOR WATER 5K and learn more at www.1for3.org