Gardener stories: Meet Ahmed
Ahmed Ibrahim Ismail lives in the Azar neighbourhood of Domiz 2 camp.
“I have a humble garden in my house, and I started working on it with my children two years ago. We have spent many good times in it, especially during the curfew for the coronavirus.
“My garden contains 20 different types of roses and trees. Each rose is a different colour from the others, and I have grapes, figs, cypress and pine.
“In 2019 I participated in the Lemon Tree Trust garden competitions. Thanks to the encouragement of our coordinators in the camp, I won second place in Domiz 2 camp.
“My family have benefitted a lot from my garden because we enjoy spending time in it, especially during the quarantine period.”
Want to support refugee gardeners like Ahmed?
The Lemon Tree Trust welcomes one-off and regular donations.
To make a donation, please go to: lemontreetrust.org/donate.
Our core infrastructure costs are fully funded so 100% of your donation directly supports gardening projects and initiatives in refugee communities.
- $1 / £1 can give a family a packet of vegetable seeds
- $5 / £5 can provide a family a basket of nutritious produce
- $25 / £25 can fund a Home Garden Starter Kit for a new family arriving in the camp, containing a Home Garden Manual, seeds, tools, a grow-bag and a children’s gardening activity
More refugee gardener stories
- Watch our short films about why displaced people garden
- Meet Khanki camp resident Hajar
- Meet Domiz 2 camp resident Salih
Learn more about life in refugee camps
Yesterday, team members Hamid and Othman led a women’s workshop in Hêvî Community Garden, bringing together beneficiaries to learn, share and grow in community. The session began with an introduction to the work of the Lemon Tree Trust, our vision and our ongoing efforts across refugee and IDP (internally displaced people) camps. In places where … Continued
Noora, originally from Damascus, Syria, cooks meals that remind her family of home, using fresh herbs and seasonal produce from her small garden in Gawilan refugee camp, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. “My mother taught me to cook. Now my children help me. I never give up on the recipes that remind me of home,” she … Continued
As we reach the halfway point of 2025, we are delighted to share some of the impact your support has made possible across our projects. Thanks to your support, our projects are creating meaningful change for forcibly displaced communities, improving access to fresh food, mental wellbeing, and opportunities for connection and belonging through community gardening. … Continued