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According to The Earth Prize, Palestinian sisters Tala Mousa and Farah Mousa, from the Build Hope – Palestine team, were chosen among the top 35 global teams of 2026 by transforming Gaza’s rubble into reusable blocks using clay, ash, and glass powder in a simple and local process.
Palestinian sisters Tala Mousa and Farah Mousa, from Gaza, were selected among the top 35 global teams of The Earth Prize 2026 with the Build Hope – Palestine project. The proposal transforms debris from damaged buildings into reusable blocks for non-structural uses, such as flower beds, pavements, and partitions.
The Earth Prize announcement was published on April 16, 2026, referencing Geneva, Switzerland. The environmental competition is aimed at young people aged 13 to 19 and brings together solutions created by students from different regions of the world, focusing on practical impact, mentorship, resources, and funding.
Project transforms debris into reusable blocks
The Build Hope – Palestine addresses a visible problem in Gaza: the large amount of rubble left by damaged buildings. Instead of treating this material merely as waste, Tala and Farah proposed crushing, sieving, and mixing the fragments with simple binders, such as clay, ash, or glass powder.
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After mixing, the material is molded and dried to form reusable blocks. The source states that these blocks are intended for non-structural applications, meaning they are not presented as pieces to support buildings, but as an alternative for community uses with lower technical requirements.
Solution was designed to work with few resources
The proposal attracted attention because it was designed to work without heavy machinery or specialized infrastructure. According to The Earth Prize, the process is decentralized, low-cost, and based on locally available materials, which facilitates replication in communities with few resources.
This point is central to understanding the Palestinian sisters’ project. The solution does not rely on expensive technology or a complex industrial chain, but on a simple, teachable method adapted to local limitations. The strength of the idea lies in transforming an urban problem into accessible raw material.
Gaza appears as the context of environmental innovation
Tala and Farah live in Gaza and began seeking a practical response to the limitations around them. The source reports that after their house was bombed, they started developing an alternative that could support the community using the available waste in the territory.
The context should not be treated as a spectacle, but it helps explain why the proposal was born from local urgency. Innovation appears as an environmental and community response, combining the reuse of debris, youth participation, and an attempt to create simple tools for small-scale reconstruction.
Team was one of the five representatives from the Middle East
Build Hope – Palestine was selected to represent the Middle East region in The Earth Prize 2026. According to the organization, the team is among the five chosen from the region and also appears as the first team from Palestine to join this global selection.
This fact reinforces the relevance of the choice. The Earth Prize selects 35 teams called Scholars, distributed across seven global regions, gathering projects considered promising within youth environmental innovation. Among thousands of students reached by the initiative, the Gaza project entered the group of highest distinction.
Competition involves young people aged 13 to 19
The Earth Prize presents itself as the largest global environmental competition and incubator for young people aged 13 to 19. Since 2021, according to the organization, the prize has reached 21,000 students in 169 countries and territories, and has already distributed over $500,000 to transform ideas into impact.
In the 2026 edition, projects came from seven regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Central and South America, the Middle East, Oceania, and Southeast Asia. The selected solutions include ocean-cleaning robots, potable water generated from fog, drought prediction with AI, and other ideas aimed at environmental challenges.
Workshops aim to involve 100 young people
The sisters’ project also includes a community training phase. The team intends to gather 100 young people in practical workshops to produce at least 200 blocks, teaching the process so that others can replicate the technique in their own communities.
The goal described by The Earth Prize is to expand the impact to more than 1,000 people, with the potential to reach even more residents. The logic of Build Hope – Palestine is not just to manufacture blocks, but to multiply knowledge, turning young people into active participants in the reuse of debris.
Blocks have practical use, but clear technical limits
An important detail from the source is that the blocks are described as non-structural. This means they are not presented as a solution for load-bearing walls, slabs, or elements that require more robust structural calculation and technical certification.
The recommended application is more suitable for gardens, pavements, partitions, and lower-risk community uses. This focus avoids exaggeration and gives more credibility to the project because it shows that the value of the proposal lies in environmental reuse, practical education, and small-scale local reconstruction.
Jury highlighted creativity and local response
Peter McGarry, founder of The Earth Foundation, stated that the work of Tala and Farah Mousa shows how young people respond to challenging circumstances with creativity and local solutions. According to him, the project transforms debris into practical responses and encourages others to participate in community recovery.
The evaluation reinforces the idea of innovation rooted in the territory. Build Hope – Palestine does not promise to single-handedly solve the reconstruction of Gaza, but it presents a concrete alternative to give new use to some of the available waste, with low cost, community training, and replication potential.
Next phase would announce regional winners
After the selection of the 35 teams, The Earth Prize informed that seven regional winners would be announced between May 11 and 17, 2026. Each regional winning team would receive $12,500 to accelerate their innovation in the real world and expand the possibilities of practical application.
The organization also planned a public vote and the announcement of the global winner on May 29. The statement used as a source does not inform, at that moment, whether Build Hope – Palestine would win the regional or global stage, only confirms its presence among the 35 best teams in the world.
Idea opens debate on waste and reconstruction
The project by the Palestinian sisters shows how construction waste can be seen not just as debris, but as raw material for local environmental solutions. The proposal combines recycling, low cost, environmental education, and youth participation in a context of practical necessity.
The question that remains is bigger than the award: should cities and communities affected by destruction, abandonment, or excess waste invest more in reusing rubble for non-structural uses? Do you believe that simple solutions like this can scale with technical support and funding? Leave your opinion in the comments.
