Lemon Tree Trust is entering an exciting new phase at one of its community gardens, Hêvî (meaning ‘hope’ in Kurdish), in Gawilan refugee camp in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, as work concludes on a new polytunnel. This space will enable the team to raise thousands of seedlings for households in Gawilan, neighbouring settlements and … Read more
Ecohub has been a centre for permaculture education and ecotherapy for refugees on Lesvos since 2017. Originally based in a community centre just across from the refugee camp, it has provided education and green shelter to tens of thousands of refugees over the years. Launched by Better Days NGO in 2017, Ecohub was created to … Read more
Françoise Pierre, an Australian permaculturist and midwife, has worked with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Tajikistan, Sudan, and Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Through her frontline experience, she witnessed an alarming number of preventable maternal and infant deaths in refugee settings. One of her most urgent observations is that many of these deaths are linked not only … Read more
In a world where we can sometimes feel powerless, there are things you can do to really make a difference. In the words of Paulinho, a permaculturalist and founder of UNIDOS: “at least there are still people who believe in co-creating a new civilization, decentralized where people value humanity and again build relationships with nature.” … Read more
They say that these permaculture programs make a difference to people’s lives by nutrition, food security, coming together in unity, earning income and improving health. The situation in East African camps is being exacerbated by global crises, food shortages and price spikes, so permaculture education, kitchen gardens and regenerative livelihoods are even more important. A … Read more
P4R is on the brink of releasing a full report of the outcomes of the first Permaculture Design Certificates (PDC) courses run for refugees in refugee camps. The project of trialing PDCs in refugee settlements in a wide range of situations began in 2018 and was halted by Covid-19 in March 2020. Ongoing regular communication … Read more
by Ruth Harvey Featured image: Camp 6, Ukhiya, Bangladesh Over the past five years, I have become acquainted with the harsh reality of refugee camps and settlements, through visiting and working in various facilities in Nauru, Greece, Italy and Bangladesh. I was dismayed to see how powerless, depressed and aimless residents of the … Read more