The Earth Prize 2026: Teenagers from Gaza, Palestine named among top 35 global teams in $100K global competition for recycled rubble bricks
- The Earth Prize is the world’s largest environmental competition and incubator for young people, equipping 13-19 year olds with mentorship, resources and funding
- Since 2021, the prize has reached 21,000 students, across 169 countries and territories, and awarded over $500K to turn ideas into impact
- Each year, 35 top-contender teams are selected as Scholars, representing seven global regions and the most promising youth-led solutions worldwide
- From 11–17 May, seven Regional Winners will be announced, each receiving $12.5K to accelerate their innovation in the real world
- Team ‘Build Hope - Palestine’ is turning rubble into reusable blocks, while simultaneously bringing young people together to rebuild their communities
GENEVA, Switzerland, 14 April - Sisters Tala Mousa and Farah Mousa have been named among the top 35 global teams in The Earth Prize 2026, the world’s largest environmental competition and incubator for young people aged 13-19 years. Representing the Middle East region, team ‘Build Hope - Palestine’ is recycling rubble into reusable blocks and bringing young people together to help rebuild their communities.
Living in Gaza amid ongoing conflict, and after their house was bombed, sisters Tala Mousa and Farah Mousa began looking for a way to support their community. They set out to develop a practical solution that could work within the constraints around them. Their project, ‘Build Hope - Palestine’, transforms rubble from damaged buildings into reusable, non-load-bearing blocks for applications such as garden beds, pavements, and partitions. Using simple, locally available materials, the process involves crushing and sieving debris, then mixing it with binders such as clay, ash, or glass powder before moulding and drying it into blocks.
Designed to be scalable, the project focuses on recycling debris while supporting communities. Through hands-on workshops, the sisters aim to bring together 100 young people to produce at least 200 blocks, while giving them the skills to share the process with others, expanding its impact to more than 1,000 people, with potential to reach many more.
Tala and Farah impressed The Earth Prize’s expert jury with the project, being only one of five teams selected to represent the region of the Middle East, and also the first team from Palestine. Tala explained:
The view from my window is what keeps me always motivated. The large amount of rubble and the lack of accessible rebuilding solutions inspire us to work on this project. The solution is decentralised, low-cost and relies on locally available materials. It’s designed to be replicated by communities without heavy machinery or specialised infrastructure, and turn what was once destruction into a starting point for hope.
Now in its fifth year, The Earth Prize has reached over 21,000 students across 169 countries and territories. Previous winners have been featured in leading international media including Forbes, Business Insider (US and Africa), The Irish Times, and UN Today, with several teams advancing their ideas through patents and corporate partnerships.
This year’s teams represent seven global regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Central and South America, the Middle East, and Oceania and Southeast Asia. Their solutions span a wide range of innovations, from an ocean-cleaning robot, to fog-powered drinking water, and an AI-driven drought predictor.
The Earth Prize is run by The Earth Foundation, a non-profit based in Geneva, Switzerland, founded during the School Strike for Climate in 2019. At a time when climate anxiety affects a majority of young people - 59% reporting they are very or extremely worried about the environment - the Prize provides a pathway from concern to action, equipping students with the tools to develop tangible, real-world solutions.
The work of Tala and Farah Mousa is a powerful example of how young people are responding to challenging circumstances with creativity and determination. By transforming debris into practical solutions for their community, they are empowering others to take part in recovery. Their project captures what The Earth Prize stands for: bold, locally grounded ideas with the potential to create meaningful impact.
The next stage of the competition will see seven Regional Winners announced from 11–17 May, each representing one of the seven global regions and receiving $12.5K to accelerate their innovation. This will be followed by a public vote, with the global winner announced on Friday 29 May.