Tariq from Beit Jala, inherited 80 dunams plot of land from his family in the area of Al Makhrour Valey, which is considered the agricultural basket of Beit Jala city, west of Bethlehem. Tariq and his family have been working for decades farming and taking care of their land. The farm has provided sustenance for his family of 8, but over the last decade, farming is becoming increasingly difficult, as he is constantly finding himself in confrontations with violent Israeli settlers and soldiers. This is in addition to the difficulties of offering water and the other essential for farming.

Tariq reached-out to the Joint Advocacy Initiative in 2017, after hearing his story, we began providing him with saplings and bringing volunteers to Tariq’s farm to help him plant and harvest trees. To date, Tariq has received more than 500 saplings through the Olive Tree Campaign, a large portion of which were donated by Watersheds Foundation.

Today, Tariq is proud that he has been able to preserve his land. Despite all the obstacles he went through, today he remains steadfast, and according to him, “I couldn’t have done this without JAI. Their generosity and the solidarity of their volunteers was the only hope I had for a very long time. Without them, I don’t know where I would be today.”