How a refugee family is pioneering environmental protection in Jordan

After fleeing the Syrian town of Aleppo during the war, Mustafa Hessobaku, Ghazaleh and their children arrived in Jordan in 2015 with dreams of building a better life. “We left everything behind and had to restart here from scratch”, says Ghazaleh. Today, they have become champions of sustainability, running eco-friendly initiatives that turn everyday waste into meaningful products in the Jordanian capital Amman.

A family of innovators

Three of their children—Hussein (16 years), Kolbahaar (20), and Maram (18)—have embraced this fresh start, each carving a path that benefits both their family and the environment.

Hussein, passionate about agriculture, stumbled upon the idea of turning discarded coffee grounds into plant pots and coasters: “I always loved farming and agriculture, and wished to plant and grow my own crops, my idea started in planting mushrooms in coffee grounds, but it did not work,” he says.

So, he looked into what else he could do with the coffee residue, “After I found out that tones of coffee residue are thrown away almost daily, eventually releasing toxic substances into the environment, I wanted to find a way to reuse it in something beneficial,” he explains.

Now, a local coffee shop saves their coffee grounds for Hussein, who transforms them into innovative and sustainable products. “After many trials and errors, I managed to find the right way to make coasters and plant pots”, Hussein recalls. “When I showed some sample coasters to the coffee shop, they were very impressed. He hopes to sell them the product in the future. “If we do not protect the earth,”, he adds, “there will be no place for us to live anymore, it is our only home.”

His sister Kolbahaar has always been passionate about recycling and wanted to create her own environmentally friendly business or project.

Colour from waste

Kolbahaar found out that each person in Jordan uses about 500 plastic bags per year, producing mountains of waste. Her solution? Tuba’a (print in English), an initiative she founded, to create colorful, reusable tote bags using natural dyes made from vegetable waste, which Kolbahaar makes from scratch. “This is not just about reducing waste, it is about making sustainability fun for everyone, about inspiring people to contribute to saving the environment,” she says.

Her brand’s name, Tuba’a, originates from the 3D set of wooden kits in various shapes that Kolbahaar designed to print on tote bags using the natural colors and dyes she creates, which can be oil colors mixed with oil or acrylic colors combined with egg whites.

“It took me six months to develop the correct formula, but I finally I got my business patent”, Kolbahaar adds. “I hope to get support so I can market the products and make profit eventually.”

Plants from paper

Meanwhile, the other sister Maram, has taken paper recycling to the next level. Her handcrafted paper contains embedded seeds, allowing customers to plant and grow greenery directly by planting the paper in soil. “Recycling is not just a business for me, it is something I do for our future,” she says.

But Maram did not stop there, as she also recycles old clothes into new ones, which also inspired her business, Nawrouz Atelier. Her creative designs have gained recognition at exhibitions like the Maker Collective at the Crown Prince Foundation, and they are attracting orders from across Jordan.

“I collect used clothes from people, and I design new pieces, such as belts or jackets, and I also embed a cultural element. I dream of having my own shop one day,” Maram says.

A partnership for growth

The family’s efforts caught the attention of Ala’a Janbek, a Jordanian entrepreneur and founder of Nafin, a small business for handmade recycled paper and cards which can be planted.

Ala’a saw an opportunity to collaborate with Maram during a training she had given her: “I wanted to include refugees in the fight against climate change, because as a Circassian, I have a refugee background myself,” she explains.

“Maram and Kolbahaar were eager to learn, and we quickly developed this partnership,” Ala’a says.

She provides seeds for the paper, which the family produces, creating a win-win situation as she buys the seeded paper back from them.

Inspiring change

Hussein’s, Kolbahaar’s and Maram’s resilience and creativity are a testament to the contributions refugees can make to their host communities, they are leaders in sustainability.

“We all have a role to play,” the siblings say, each one in her or his way.

Their story is a reminder that even in the face of adversity, creativity and determination can flourish and plant seeds of change for generations to come.

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