The Hope Garden

The Hope Garden at Shariya Camp began during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when closed borders with Syria, Turkey, and Iran significantly reduced the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables. The crisis made clear just how urgent it was to build local food sources for our remote and often underserved refugee community. With the camp frequently under lockdown, daily stresses and uncertainties grew. It was the perfect moment to transform the last unused piece of land into a community garden—an oasis for food production, connection, and education.

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More than just a farm, the Hope Garden became a platform for learning. It offers education in sustainable agriculture, food preparation, small business skills, and landscape management. By combining hands-on experience with online learning partnerships, the garden has become a powerful tool for both children and adults to explore new opportunities.

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As the garden has grown, so has its role. It’s become a beloved gathering space—a place where students and community members work side by side, or simply pause to breathe. Some come to dig, plant, or harvest. Others arrive just to rest quietly beside the fountain, away from the density of tent life. Many of our students now call it “the best-kept secret of Shariya Camp” and “heaven on earth.”

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In just one year, we planted groves of pomegranate, orange, lemon, apricot, peach, pear, persimmon, fig, cherry, chinaberry, and mulberry trees. We added olives, pines, vines, berries, and rows of herbs: oregano, lavender, rosemary, thyme, and aloe. Our harvest included 2 tons of cucumbers and 1 ton of peppers—shared daily with students, families in the camp, and frontline workers like local police, municipal teams, and health staff.

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As the garden continues to mature, we plan to add beehives and launch a handmade soap line—encouraging both wellness and small-scale entrepreneurship.