OCTOBER 23rd, 2024 UPDATE

Our beloved Yousef Abu Rabia has been martyred, and our hearts are shattered. It’s difficult to express the depth of our sorrow. He is not here to share this moment with us, yet his unwavering love and fierce determination will forever guide us.

On the day of his martyrdom, we wrote an update that concluded at 8:33 am on October 21st. Yousef was in touch with us until moments before he was assassinated at 5:22 pm, alongside his close friends Zakaria and Ramadan, in a targeted drone strike. Their day was spent nurturing their community, distributing fresh vegetables to those in need, and fostering a spirit of togetherness. Yousef and his friends didn’t just provide sustenance; they brought warmth and connection to their neighbours. Each vegetable handed out was a symbol of hope, a reminder that even in the darkest times, there was still life to be shared and love to be spread.

Yousef often said, “In giving, we receive; in sharing, we heal.” His commitment to uplifting others reflected a deep understanding that true nourishment comes not only from food but also from community and connection. As they worked side by side, their spirits intertwined, forging bonds that would strengthen their resolve against adversity. Yousef and his friends created spaces where hope could flourish. Their laughter was a defiant act against despair, reminding everyone that joy could still be found, even when surrounded by sorrow. Through their actions, they demonstrated that resilience is cultivated not just in the fields, but in the hearts of those who refuse to be broken. Their commitment to nurturing both the land and their community exemplified a powerful vision one where love and compassion thrive, no matter the circumstances. In this way, Yousef and his friends were true gardeners, tending to both the soil and the spirits of those around them.

Yousef was a visionary, a beacon of hope whose grand dreams transcended boundaries and inspired countless others. He transformed his aspirations into tangible realities on a massive scale, demonstrating what it truly means to live with purpose. “Planting seeds is not just an act; it’s a declaration of resilience,” he often reminded us. This powerful mantra encapsulated his belief that every seed holds the promise of a brighter future, a testament to the strength and determination within each of us.

In a time when food was scarce and desperation loomed, Yousef refused to succumb to despair. Instead, he took bold action, planting seeds with unwavering faith, effectively defying the siege’s strategy of starvation. He understood that each seed represented not only nourishment but also the potential for renewal and growth. With every planting, he was not merely cultivating crops; he was sowing hope and resilience into the hearts of his community.

Yousef cherished sovereignty, a love for his land that was deeply rooted in his family's agricultural lineage. He viewed farming as an act of defiance and dignity, a way to reclaim power in a world that sought to strip it away. “To farm is to nurture life,” he would say, reminding us that our connection to the earth is fundamental to our existence. He embraced the rhythms of nature, celebrating every harvest as a victory over adversity.

His commitment to nurturing the land extended beyond mere cultivation. Yousef instilled in others the importance of stewardship, teaching that taking care of the earth is a shared responsibility. He often organized community workshops, encouraging people to join him in cultivating their own gardens, fostering a sense of unity and purpose. “Together, we can transform barren ground into a flourishing oasis,” he believed, inspiring others to see the potential within themselves and their surroundings.

Yousef’s vision was expansive; he dreamed of a community where everyone had access to fresh food, where the land thrived, and where hope blossomed even in the harshest conditions. “We are the architects of our future,” he would proclaim, igniting a fire within those around him. His unwavering faith in the power of collective action fueled a movement, encouraging individuals to rise above their circumstances and contribute to a shared vision of prosperity.

In honouring Yousef’s legacy, we are called to embrace his vision and carry it forward. Let us plant our own seeds of hope and resilience, nurturing our communities and uplifting those around us. Every small action contributes to a larger transformation; every act of kindness, every garden planted, brings us closer to the world Yousef envisioned. Together, we can ensure that his spirit continues to inspire us, reminding us that even in the face of adversity, we have the power to create a brighter future.

As close friends of Yousef Abu Rabia and his family, we want to stress that this is the only fundraiser operating with Yousef’s full consent. In this time of deep sorrow and remembrance, it’s more important than ever to honour his wishes and respect his voice. Until his designated organization is fully established, there are no other campaigns online that bear his endorsement. Please visit Yousef’s personal Instagram page to verify that this link is truly the one in his bio—the only official campaign. This fundraiser is the sole effort dedicated to supporting his beloved family, continuing the farming that meant so much to him, and carrying forward the vision that lit his path.

Yousef's dreams were never just about the land; they were about love, unity, and resilience. He believed in a future where the fruits of the earth would sustain more than just bodies—they would nourish hope, community, and a brighter tomorrow. It’s crucial that we honour his autonomy, his values, and the dreams he held so dear. Every contribution to this campaign is a commitment to keep Yousef’s spirit alive, to stand by his family, and to uphold the legacy of love he left behind.

We cannot bring him back, but we can ensure that his vision never dies. Together, let us cultivate his dreams, nurture his passion, and ensure that the seeds he planted continue to grow—blossoming into a future that carries his spirit forward. Your support is not just a donation; it’s a promise to carry on, to be the hands that tend his fields, and to be the voice that echoes his determination. In times like these, when grief weighs heavy on our hearts, let us be reminded that love and determination can overcome even the greatest of challenges. Let us be the strength that turns sorrow into action, despair into hope, and Yousef’s enduring vision into a living reality.

Yousef, Oct. 19th, 2024

OCTOBER 21st, 2024 UPDATE

Dear Friends In Solidarity,

First of all, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to all of you that have offered to this campaign. It has been profoundly moving and inspiring to us.

From May through now, we mobilized $94,106.51 ($22,000 via givebutter/venmo, $22,000 paypal, $50,000 gofundme) to support tremendous food sovereignty. Yousef and 25 other farming families have been organizing a cooperative of all of the farmers in the area, ensuring their access to seeds, seedlings, water access and other support.

Together they have been planting an average of 10,000-50,000 seedlings per day of crops including molokhia, eggplant, peppers, coriander, radishes, tomatoes and more.

Over these months, they regularly supplied food to over 200 families in the school shelters of North Gaza.

Over the last 3 weeks, there has been an intense increase of the occupation's invasion—targeting their crops, water wells, hospitals, etc.

On September 26th, the land of Yousef's family was specifically targeted. All of it was either bombed or bulldozed by the IOF—again.

Says Yousef, "Today, we are still alive and we need to continue our lives despite everything we have lost—houses, land and friends."

Our solidarity is needed in every way right now.

Please continue to contribute and share at this essential time.

Yousef's Words

I am Yousef Abu Rabia from Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, a passionate young agricultural engineer with extensive training in the fields of agriculture and the environment. I have conducted numerous training sessions for farmers and agricultural engineers on modern techniques and organic farming.

Growing up in a small village in Northern Gaza, called Beit Lahia, my Dream began during early childhood, filled with many hopes and realistic plans of becoming an agricultural engineer to produce high-quality crops with minimal pesticide use and Eco-friendly farming. During my university studies, I learned how to cultivate plants and crops using different ways including the hydro technology in agricultural hydroponic greenhouses, which proved to be a fantastic and modern technique to grow and produce healthy more affordable food in less time and with far greater yields.

Such way of farming become the source of income to me and my family and gained popularity in a community striving for safe products. Such success encouraged me to adopt a different method of cultivating strawberries in a way that minimizes the use of fertilizers and pesticides, relying on environmentally friendly resources such as sunlight and wind direction.

My dream continues to grow beyond the hydroponic greenhouse despite the blockage and minimal resources in Gaza Strip, I am one of the first to adopt the hydroponic technology in Gaza. I evolved in teaching and workshops to educate and spread awareness about Eco friendly and hydroponic methods of farming.

I am an active member of the local community, ambitious young farming engineer with a big dream, passion and patience to improve future farming by relying on natural fertilizers, sunlight, wind and environmentally friendly ways of farming.

However, the genocide in Gaza has claimed human, animal, and crop lives. The destruction of properties, infrastructures, and of course my farm and future dream were not spared from bombings and land confiscation. At least I am still alive and able to communicate and write to you, my story.

The family farm, our sole source of income, which sustained our daily needs and allowed me and my sibling to meet educational expenses and purchase costly natural agricultural supplies.

Being different and opting for safe agriculture means bearing higher costs, and after the destruction of everything and losing all crops and infrastructure, I find myself in a challenging situation but still have a dream, sometimes losing everything to gain it again in a better way to be successful.

BEFORE October 2023

NOVEMBER 2023

After our family home and fields were bombed and bulldozed.

April - SEPTEMBER 2024

Starting again with roof top gardening, a nursery and repairing the fields.

100% of all contributions go directly to Yousef

Palestinian Food Sovereignty

By Finca Luna Búho

Palestinian Food Sovereignty

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