Kaima Hukuk Farm

Mission Kaima Hukuk is a non-profit organic farm that uses the tool of agricultural employment and the power of nature to reengage Israeli youth and young adults seeking alternative educational and social frameworks. At the same time, we encourage responsible food consumption and environmental stewardship within the larger community. Established in 2016 near the Sea of Galilee, we are the northernmost farm in the growing Kaima Educational Farming Network, located in a region farm from other social services benefiting the special population in our care. Summary 2. The population: Kaima Hukuk empowers youth (ages 14-18) who have either officially or unofficially left the conventional school system as well as young people (ages 18-21) challenged to enter adulthood. Nearly all feel the educational system and society have failed them. Many are victims of sexual/physical abuse; some are on the streets and involved in drugs, alcohol, and/or petty crime; most, without meaningful intervention, will not become productive members of society. Our primary aims are to help these young people heal from past trauma, change the downward trajectory of their lives, and redirect them toward a more positive future, all within the farm’s lush fields. 4. Geographic focus: We provide critical educational and social interventions for underserved high-risk young people across several socially diverse communities, among them Safed, Hatzor Haglilit, Rosh Pina, Tiberias, and Tuba Zangariya. While there are other community farms in our region, none operate with our social and educational mission. Aims 2. Stimulate curiosity; develop employability skills; offer work experience; teach teamwork; foster leadership development and community engagement; and cultivate purpose and accountability. 4. Provide a positive alternative to the lure of the streets and encourage the exploration of personal interests. 6. Encourage young people to trust themselves and form, perhaps for the first time, positive relationships with adults. 8. Facilitate the return to some form of formal education and prepare the young person to enter either military or national service--both important to social integration and advancement. 10. Promote social and economic mobility for vulnerable youth and young adults in Israel’s far-flung northern periphery, an area nearly devoid of alternative educational opportunities. 12. Serve as a gathering place in a region of diverse communities and ecosystems where large numbers of people of all backgrounds can learn about environmentalism and social and agricultural diversity. 14. Enable the community at large to enjoy fresh produce grown without harmful pesticides by young people who are earning salaries and gaining dignity and play a role in reducing local food insecurity. Activities and Impact 2. Young Farmer Initiative: Long-term youth employment and empowerment programming 4. a. The intervention: Our innovative “employment-as-education” approach demonstrates that youth who might languish in the classroom flourish on the farm, which can be used to teach any subject, including resource management, agriculture, civics, math, geography, history, geology, critical thinking, ethics, and more. The farm functions according to a multi-generational structure, without conventional hierarchies. Youth learn and work alongside adults in small groups and one-on-one, with the young person sometimes taking the lead. This is a 3 to 24-month program, depending on individual needs. Notably, on average, 80% of our participants return to normative educational/social settings; many continue at the farm as they transition to other frameworks. 6. b. Core programming: Using the farm as an outdoor classroom, participants grow, cultivate, market, and sell our organic products; earn a salary, which encourages a sense of responsibility; and see themselves as partners in the undertaking. This increases social cohesion and builds a sense of personal agency and future possibility. With the right funding, we can offer 25 full-time farm positions (for those ages 15-18), with up to 60 participating annually. To date, ~280 teens have completed this full-time employment program. 8. c. Complimentary programming: To augment our employment track, we facilitate a range of complementary educational activities, enabling youth to take part in optional off-site certificate-granting courses in fields such as computer science, wood crafting, welding, professional tractor driving, sound engineering, and more. Such courses allow them to explore their interests and build new skills. 10. Select alumni programming: We remain in contact with our alumni who return to the farm to help mentor new participants, to check in with us, and lend a hand. Additionally, graduates have access to networking activities and can apply for academic scholarships up to five years after leaving the farm. Participant reflections Leah, age 20, recruited through the Tmura alternative national service program, is in her second year at the farm. She struggled throughout her childhood spent in a cloistered ultra-orthodox family. She shares: "I arrived at Kaima Hukuk just over a year ago, apprehensive, yet excited. From the first moment I saw the fields, I fell in love, realizing this was my place. This land grounds me; comforts me on difficult days; it absorbs my joy and my tears. I grew a lot this year and discovered new strengths in myself. I learned to manage projects and communicate emotions. I was surprised and touched to see how others stayed by my side, even in moments of crisis. Here, I was introduced to the concept of gender equality, something that helped me believe I am capable of almost anything (surprisingly, even a tractor). Today, I am no longer the girl fighting for a high school diploma or content to stay at home. Here, I have a safe place where I can help and give of myself. The world today no longer seems to me as scary as it did before. Moving forward, I will use all the strengths I discovered in myself and the gifts I have received from this amazing place called Kaima." Funding Our annual budget of ~$630,000 is funded through a three-tiered formula: 2. Self-generated funds: This includes agricultural sales to the public and other farms. Currently, we are on track to cover ~30% of our ongoing educational and agricultural costs. 4. Government: ~35% of our budget is covered through funding provided through Israel’s Ministry of Welfare for alternative educational outreach for youth ages 15-18. 6. Philanthropy: Philanthropic partnerships are essential to attaining financial stability. Over time, as our self-generated income and government partnerships grow, dependency on donor support will decrease. Presently, ~35% of our budget is covered by funding provided by Israeli and Diaspora donors.