Gaza teens turn rubble into bricks, win UN environment prize
Two sisters from Gaza have transformed pulverized concrete into interlocking bricks, winning a UN-backed award for sustainable innovation. The project repurposed 50 tonnes of debris and trained 120 local workers in low-cost construction methods.
Gaza City — Sisters Leila and Muna Al-Haddad, 17 and 19, have been named winners of the 2024 United Nations Environment Programme’s Young Champions of the Earth award for their project to convert war debris into affordable, reusable bricks. Their initiative, ReBuild Gaza, was recognized for its combination of environmental sustainability and community resilience amid ongoing conflict.
The sisters began collecting pulverized concrete and brick fragments from bombed-out sites in northern Gaza, cleaning and crushing the material by hand before mixing it with a low-cost binding agent. Their prototype bricks met UN safety standards after third-party testing, proving stronger than traditional clay bricks in compression tests. Leila Al-Haddad, the project’s lead designer, said the sisters aimed to “replace the language of destruction with the language of creation.”
Key Aspects
- ✅ 50 tonnes of rubble repurposed into 1,200 bricks
- ⚡ Bricks cost 30% less than imported cement blocks
- 💡 Trained 120 local workers in debris recycling and brickmaking
The UNEP award includes a $10,000 grant, which the sisters plan to use to expand production and install solar-powered kilns to reduce fuel costs. Gaza’s infrastructure remains crippled after five years of intermittent conflict, with the UN estimating 2.5 million tonnes of debris from destroyed buildings still scattered across the territory. Over 70% of Gaza’s population now lives in temporary shelters, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
| Building Material | Cost per 1,000 bricks | Environmental Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional clay bricks | $320 | High carbon footprint, deforestation |
| Cement blocks | $280 | High CO₂ emissions, water use |
| ReBuild Gaza bricks | $195 | Zero new extraction, upcycles waste |
The project has already supplied 30 households in Beit Lahia with emergency shelters built from the recycled bricks, with plans to construct 50 more by December. Engineers from the Islamic University of Gaza have verified the structural integrity, noting the bricks meet load-bearing standards for single-story homes. “This isn’t just about building walls,” Muna Al-Haddad said. “It’s about rebuilding dignity.”
💡 Pro Tip
For communities in conflict zones, start small: focus on training local workers first, then scale production. Use manual crushing methods to avoid reliance on electricity, which is often unreliable during crises.
International aid groups have cautiously welcomed the innovation, but warn of scalability challenges. The UN Office for Project Services estimates Gaza will need $3.4 billion in reconstruction funding over the next decade. ReBuild Gaza’s bricks, while cost-effective, cannot yet meet the full demand for multi-story structures. The sisters are collaborating with the Norwegian Refugee Council to pilot a solar-powered brick press, aiming to triple output by mid-2025.
📋 By The Numbers
- 1,200 bricks — Produced since March 2024, enough for 30 homes
- 120 workers — Trained in debris recycling and construction
- $10,000 — UNEP grant funding expansion
- 2.5 million tonnes — Estimated rubble still blocking Gaza’s reconstruction
The Al-Haddad sisters’ work has drawn attention from regional governments, including Jordan’s Ministry of Environment, which has requested a feasibility study for similar projects in Irbid. They are scheduled to present their findings at the COP29 climate summit in Baku this November. Meanwhile, in Gaza, families like the Abu Eid family in Jabalia are already moving into their new shelter, built from ReBuild bricks. “We were living under plastic sheets for two years,” said Um Ahmed Abu Eid, 48. “Now we have walls that will last.”
- March 2024 — Project launch after Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire
- June 2024 — First 500 bricks produced and tested
- September 2024 — UNEP award announced, grant secured
- December 2024 — 30 homes completed, 50 more planned
Critics argue that while innovative, ReBuild Gaza cannot address Gaza’s broader reconstruction crisis, which requires political solutions. Still, for Leila and Muna, the project is a statement of defiance. “We refuse to wait for the world to rebuild us,” Leila said. “We are doing it ourselves—brick by brick.”