STORIES FROM THE FIELD COVID-19 RESPONSE COVID-19 awareness campaign in (AYF)

Location: & khanfar districts inAbyan Governorate

“We had heard the word Corona a lot, but we didn’t know what it was about”

The coronavirus (COVID-19) presents another threat to the Yemeni people in addition to the protracted humanitarian crisis caused by almost six focus on COVID-19 symptoms the steps and wash my hands years of conflict. ’s and prevention measures. thoroughly”. health care system has been The prevention activities were decimated by the conflict, and implemented in collaboration The Yemen Humanitarian Fund it is critical to raise awareness with WASH Sub-Cluster and (YHF) supported the Abyan about COVID-19 to protect the UNICEF, who supported the Youth Foundation (AYF) to population and prevent it from campaign with 600 hygiene kits implement a $300,000 Water, being overwhelmed. Even though for sites for internally displaced Sanitation and Hygiene project to it was not until April that cases persons (IDPs). Besides, 20 support WASH interventions for of COVID-19 were reported in community volunteers were the most vulnerable communities Yemen, an outbreak seemed only trained in coordination with the Zinjibar and Khanfar districts of a matter of time as the number Abyan Health Office. Abyan Governorate in Yemen. of cases in surrounding countries increased. The AYF initiative has made a real difference by tackling a lack Abyan Youth Foundation (AYF), of knowledge about COVID-19 a Yemen Humanitarian Fund among vulnerable communities. (YHF) implementing partner, Awareness campaigns continue leaped into action in March and feedback indicates they 2020 and initiated a COVID-19 are helping communities to awareness campaign in Khanfar implement protection measures. and Zinjubar districts in Abyan At one IDP site, a man explained Governorate. AYF adapted “we had heard the word Corona an existing US$300,000 a lot, but we didn’t know what it YHF WASH-funded project was about. Now we know how targeting 31,000 of the most to protect ourselves.” An elderly vulnerable people in the Abyan woman noted, “I cannot read but I Governorate to conduct hygiene can see the posters in the latrine, awareness activities with a AYF Covid-19 beneficiaries and trainees Salem Qasim proudly shows millet and sorghum crops from his farm in Rasad and Sarar so every time I go in, I follow awareness campaign Al -Tawedat. © AYF villages in Abyan Governorate. © CARE Yemen

YHF STORIES FROM THE FIELD 02 Covid-19 response FAMINE RESPONSE Sowing new farming practices helps reap success (CARE)

Location: Rasad and Sarar District, Abyan Governorate

“Agricultural productivity was very low in my village due to the usage of traditional farming techniques and poor farming practices”

Yemen continues to be the food insecurity. In 2020, the continue to impact seed quality world’s largest humanitarian COVID-19 pandemic, devastating and the availability of much- crisis, with high levels of acute flooding, and an unprecedented needed services such as water, food insecurity. Two million out desert locust upsurge have transportation, and electricity. As of nearly eight million people further exacerbated pre-existing a result, many farmers left their living in southern governorates vulnerabilities in the country. hometowns in the countryside in are estimated to be severely food search of livelihood opportunities, Most Yemeni people who work leaving behind their farms. insecure. Prolonged conflict, in agriculture do not have access as well as high food prices, to the material they need to Villages in Rasad and Sarar depreciation of the local currency, successfully cultivate. Price districts in Abyan Governorate and disrupted public services, instability and fuel shortages were once known for their are the major drivers of acute

Salem Qasim proudly shows millet and sorghum crops from his farm in Rasad and Sarar villages in Abyan Governorate. © CARE Yemen

YHF STORIES FROM THE FIELD Famine response 03 excellent millet and sorghum As part of the YHF-supported Ghanya. “Can you imagine how crops. Nearly half of the residents improve food security levels my income would increase if I there depend on agriculture through supporting agriculture- harvested nearly two bags of as the main source of income. based livelihoods project in crops every month?” Yet the conflict, together with Abyan Governorate, CARE the economic recession, has trained 76 farmers in Rasad and “I learned new and effective limited their access to seeds and Sarar districts including Salem technologies like preparing cultivation supplies. and Ghanya on best farming natural fertilizer at home and practices and new farming reducing fertilizer consumption “Farming isn’t just my main technologies including micro- through micro-dosing,” says means of earning a living; it’s a dosing, timely planting, proper Ghanya. “Now, I visit my friends passion that I inherited from my spacing, and row cropping. The in neighboring villages every ancestors,” says 63-years-old project also provided improved Friday and talk to them about Salem Qasim enthusiastically. millet and sorghum seeds for these technologies.” Salem lives in Sarar District with 1300 farmers, along with much- The Yemen Humanitarian Fund his nine children. During the needed agricultural tools such as supported CARE to implement a agricultural season, he would sickles, rakes, hoes, and carts. US$4.3 million project to improve farm his land and teach the And to help the targeted farmers food security levels through Quran to village children. After survive until harvest time, the supporting agriculture-based the harvest, he used to move to project provided them with livelihoods in Abyan Governorate. the city away from his children monthly cash assistance of 50 for six months to work to support US dollars for three months. manitarian Fund, CARE was able his family. to reach 5,300 families with life- As a result of higher quality saving cholera awareness and “Agricultural productivity was seeds which can be harvested in hygiene promotion messaging, very low in my village due to a short time, the production of coupled with the distribution of the usage of traditional farming millet and sorghum dramatically hygiene kits. techniques and poor farming increased in the target areas. practices,” he says. “The improved seeds we received work like magic,” says

YHF STORIES FROM THE FIELD 04 Famine response BACK TO SCHOOL Incentives for volunteer teachers improve access to education (MDF)

Location: Hayfan and Damt Districts,Tai’z Governorate

“This project has given us hope in the educational process and made volunteer teachers work hard and filled a lot of Mr. Jawad Mufaddal Muhammad Murshid teacher providing emergency education in . © MDF shortages because of the country’s current circumstances” As part of the emergency Development Foundation (MDF) education support project for the to implement a $700,000 IDPs and most at-risk students Emergency Education Support to Jawad Mofadhel has an in Hayfan and Damt Districts, IDPs and Most at Risk Students Intermediate Diploma in English. implemented by the Millennium in Hayfan and Damt districts of This struggling teacher lived Development Foundation (MDF) Governorate. As a result of his youth traveling from one and funded by the Yemen this support, MDF supported 98 city to another looking to earn Humanitarian Fund (YHF), MDF teachers with a monthly incentive a livelihood, but all doors were paid volunteer teachers a monthly in 12 schools in Hayfan District. closed in his face. In Tai’z City, incentive to encourage them to even his relatives were not able to continue teaching. help him find a job. Desperate, he decided to return to his village of Jawad was nominated by the Al-Horeem in Tai’z Governorate. school’s administration. The monthly incentive he received Jawad volunteered to teach in as part of the project was the village school but wasn’t indispensable for allowing him able to dedicate enough time to to support his family. In the his students because he had to meantime, his students noted work as a street vendor, selling that he became more available vegetables to support his wife and to offer lessons and that his two daughters. The family lived in teaching methods had improved. an old and rundown house. “This project has given us hope Volunteer teachers have in the educational process and become an indispensable part made volunteer teachers work of the educational staff in Tai’z hard and filled a lot of shortages Governorate, due to the shortage because of the country’s current of primary teachers who either circumstances,” Jawad said. have gone to other areas or are not Mr. Jawad Mufaddal Muhammad Murshid The Yemen Humanitarian teacher providing emergency education in interested in attending. Hayfan District. © MDF Fund supported Millennium

YHF STORIES FROM THE FIELD Back to school 05 HEALTH SERVICES The first normal delivery in Ahamah health unit (Human Access)

Location: from the Hoorat Ghania area, with medicines and medical Al Azariq in Al Azariq District of Ad Dali’ supplies, allowing it to upgrade its District، Ad Dali’ Governorate. When the health Governorate services and reach neighboring personnel asked Iyad about the communities. reason for traveling the long- distance, he said: Hindia’s birth was the first since the Unit was rehabilitated. “Ahamah Health Unit “Ahamah Health Unit is the best Nabilah, the midwife, opened the is the best in providing in providing health services in this delivery room and rushed towards and the surrounding areas.” Iyad, carrying the good news that health services in this his wife had given birth to a baby and the surrounding The Unit was barely operational boy and that the mother and the areas” after its creation in 2006. The baby were healthy. Tears of joy people of the Ahamah area, poured out from the eyes of Iyad which is bordered to the east upon learning that he had just by Al Azariq District in Ad Dali’ become a father. He muttered Normal baby delivery is made Governorate and to the west words of thanks, praise for God, possible by in Ta’iz and rushed to see his son. Governorate, suffered to access The four-wheel-drive vehicle health services, especially with trekked through the rough terrain the deterioration of the health crisscrossing the stones and system in Yemen since the potholes. Iyad Al-Nimri was not beginning of the conflict. In concerned that the bumpy drive 2017, the Charitable Society of might damage his car. His only Social Welfare (CSSW), which priority was to save the life of his recently changed its name to 20-years old wife Hindia Saleh, Human Access for Partnership who was in labor. and Development (HUMAN When they reached the Ahamah ACCESS), began providing health Health Unit, the medical team services through a multi-sectoral found that Hindia was not fully project funded by the Yemen dilated and might require surgery Humanitarian Fund, which has in case of any complications. The contributed greatly to alleviating couple had driven for an hour the suffering of the inhabitants of this area. The Yemen Humanitarian Fund has continued its partnership with HUMAN ACCESS which was able to add the minimal The Yemen Humanitarian Fund health services package, which (YHF) supported HUMAN supports reproductive health, ACCESS to implement a family planning, malnutrition $900,000 health project providing management, and other primary high-impact health responses health care services, to its in Khanfar and Sarar Districts interventions in the Ahamah of Abyan Governorate and Health Unit in May 2019. HUMAN Al Musaymir District of Lahj ACCESS provides the Unit Governorate.

YHF STORIES FROM THE FIELD 06 Health services A life-saving referral for a pregnant mother (YDN)

Location: Raydah District، Amran Governorate

“I am thankful to YDN and YHF for the support and providing the needed medicines and medical services and I hope the project continues”

In conflict-torn Yemen, many pregnant women face delivery unit to the hospital to avoid complications that threaten any complications. After the their and their babies’ lives. necessary tests and examinations Many families cannot afford to were completed, the surgery was seek basic health care services, completed successfully, and she including prenatal care for delivered a beautiful and healthy pregnant women. baby. The mother and baby To help address these issues, received appropriate follow-up with funding from the Yemen care. Humanitarian Fund, the Yemeni She was grateful for the support Development Network (YDN) she received from health workers initiated a project to provide in the Al-Berar Health Unit. “I am primary health services in Amran thankful to YDN and YHF for the Governorate. support and providing the needed On 30 December 2020, Reem, a medicines and medical services 23-years-old mother who suffered and I hope the project continues,” from severe pain, reached Al- Reem said. Berar Health Unit in Raydah The Yemen Humanitarian Fund District. She was diagnosed with (YHF) supported the Yemeni obstructed labor and needed Development Network for NGOs a cesarean section. She was (YDN) to implement a $322,000 transferred to Amran maternal Primary Health Services Project and child hospital and supported in six health units in Kharif with referral transportation cost. and Raydah districts of Amran Reem was escorted by a Governorate. health worker from the health

YHF STORIES FROM THE FIELD Health services 07 WATER AND SANITATION SERVICES Water is life: Safe drinking becomes easily accessible to remote areas (RDP)

Location: Khayran Al Muharraq District , Governorate

“I have been fetching water myself, even though I do not have the energy to walk long distances at this very age. I wish to have a house adjacent to water well” at this very age. I wish to have a Qafr District of Governorate in house adjacent to water well,” said Yemen. Qadria. Qadria, is a seventy-four-year- In January 2020, the Relief and old woman living in Khayran Development Peer Foundation Al Muharraq District of Hajjah (RDP) started implementing a Governorate in Yemen. Hajjah has project aimed to improve easy been one of the areas hardest access to safe and clean drinking hit by the ongoing conflict water targeting 25,226 individuals and it is known for its grinding through the rehabilitation of water poverty and lack of clean water. schemes and the construction of Hundreds of families struggle two main water tanks in Khayran to reach and bring home clean Al Muharraq District. The project water from unprotected wells has helped thousands of people and it takes them two hours to get adequate access to safe get there by foot across a long drinking water. They no longer mountainous road. It is a journey have to travel long distances that even a donkey has difficulties across mountainous roads to get maneuvering and endure while jerry cans filled with unsafe water. carrying water jerry cans. Most of all, the provision of clean water helped minimize the spread “I don’t have children, but I had a of infectious diseases such as nephew who fell into a borehole cholera. at the age of ten while trying to fetch water. The bucket fell from The Yemen Humanitarian Fund his hands and when he tried to (YHF) supported the Relief and reach out to take it, he fell into Development Peer Foundation the borehole, and no one was (RDP) to implement a $930,000 able to save him. Since then, I WASH response project for IDPs have been fetching water myself, and the most affected population even though I do not have the in Khayran Al Muharraq District energy to walk long distances of and Al

YHF STORIES FROM THE FIELD 08 Water and sanitation services Improving and promoting sanitation services and good hygiene practices (SI)

Location: Taizz and Al Hodeidah Governorate

“We can only say thank you to Solidarités International for your help in providing us with bathrooms that contributed to improve and promote hygiene, easing our suffering, and bringing us some psychological comfort.” us. They worked tirelessly to provide families and worked on building and and build bathrooms for us. We can rehabilitating 412 latrines, in addition only say thank you to Solidarités to digging and covering sewage About 18 million people in Yemen International for your help in providing pits in the targeted areas. Also, the have limited or no access to safe us with bathrooms that contributed hygiene promotion teams carried drinking water or sanitation services. to improve and promote hygiene, out a community awareness session To help address existing needs, the easing our suffering, and bringing on the importance of personal Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF) us some psychological comfort.” hygiene and to raise awareness of supported Solidarites International Mohammed says. families about good health practices, benefiting 10,858 people. to implement an emergency WASH Fleeing the fighting, 55-year-old assistance project targeting conflict- Muhammad, his wife, four daughters, The YHF supported Solidarites affected people in Tai’z and Al and four sons ended up living in International to implement a $1.3 Hodeidah governorates. The project a run-down one-room temporary million project to provide emergency aimed to improve sanitation services shelter covered with tree branches. WASH assistance for vulnerable and reduce open defecation, which The shelter didn’t have a latrine and people affected by the crisis in was one of the main causes behind the family had to walk a long distance Mawza’ District of Taizz Governorate the spread of diseases. to the bush to hide from the eyes and At Tuhayta and Ad Durayhimi Mohammed’s family is one of of people if they wanted to relieve districts of Al Hodeidah Governorate. the beneficiaries of this project. themselves. Mohammed’s family, and especially “Women suffered a great deal, his four daughters, were able to Muhammad added. “They are unable safely go to the bathroom at any time to relieve themselves during the without worrying about going out day and must wait for nightfall to at night looking for a suitable place. go out to a place far from people’s More importantly, the bathroom that eyes. They are always afraid of being was built helped Mohammed and harassed. We were also facing other his family to reduce their chances of risks such as the spread of diseases getting sick due to poor hygiene and such as diarrhea that afflicted our sanitary conditions. children” “We are very happy with what Solidarities International targeted 960 Solidarités International provided to YHF STORIES FROM THE FIELD Water and sanitation services 09 Having a latrine means that you are on the safe side of life (ZOA)

Location: Al Qubaytah District of Lahj Governorate

“My family did not have a latrine and we were suffering from going to the open field to defecate. That was depressing and tiring for me and my siblings. My mother took us at night and we were afraid of the many dangers from being out in the dark”

Through funding from the Yemen . “I asked Marwa how she felt Humanitarian Fund, ZOA has been after her family received the 1 Marwa’s family used to take her implementing a WASH response new latrine,” said ZOA’s hygiene and her siblings to the open field for newly displaced people in promoter. “We suffered a lot, but at night to defecate. Her mother, Lahj and governorates. The we now have our latrine and no who is a widow could not afford project supports a community- longer go to the open field to to construct a latrine for the contribution-based approach to defecate and we will save time family. Marwa spoke about how latrine construction. ZOA covered and we are no longer in danger,” the situation was before they had the cost of basic construction Marwa said with a smile. their latrine. materials enabling communities to build their household latrines. The Yemen Humanitarian Fund “My family did not have a latrine (YHF) supported SZOA (Stichting and we were suffering from going Marwa’s family participated and benefited from this activity. ZOA) to implement a $600,000 to the open field to defecate. That WASH project to scale up first- was depressing and tiring for me With ZOA’s support community line WASH assistance in areas of and my siblings. My mother took members managed to get a great new displacement in Al Qubaytah us at night and we were afraid of and clean latrine. District of Lahj Governorate and the many dangers from being out Al Burayqah District of Aden in the dark.” ZOA’s hygiene promoter added: Governorate in Yemen. 1 Name changed to protect privacy

YHF STORIES FROM THE FIELD 10 Water and sanitation services PROTECTION SERVICES Ibrahim get his health back and his father learns a new skill (INTERSOS)

Location: integrated emergency Ras Al- protection response for the Ara , Lahj most vulnerable conflict- Governorate affected people in Al Madaribah Wa Al Aarah District in Lahj and Dar Sa’ad District in Aden. The social workers “The family lives in an assessed Ibrahim’s case and old and dilapidated approved the disbursement of wooden house, too cash assistance to enable him small to accommodate to reach the closest hospital in Aden to undergo medical a family of six people. ” examinations and cover the cost of the necessary medicines. In February 2020, 9-year-old Through the integrated Ibrahim was involved in a car support, Ibrahim’s father was accident that caused him referred to the protection an intracranial hematoma team, which approved him compounding underlying health for multi-purpose cash conditions as he suffered from assistance funded by UNHCR. epilepsy. He requires regular He used the cash assistance medical follow-ups, but due to to repay debts he incurred to their financial hardship, his family buy medicines for Ibrahim could not afford the cost of the and to rehabilitate their necessary examinations and (YHF) supported INTERSOS to shelter. Ibrahim’s father was also treatments. implement a $650,000 protection enrolled in a WHF-supported project providing Integrated Ibrahim was displaced with his solar systems and electrical emergency protection response family from Shar’ab Ar-Rawnah wiring training to help him earn a for the most vulnerable conflict- District in and livelihood. affected people in Dar Sa’ad of resettled in Ras Al-Ara of Al The Yemen Humanitarian Fund in Yemen. Madaribah Wa Al Aarah District in Lahj Governorate. His father lost his job and the family ‘s living conditions worsened. The family lives in an old and dilapidated wooden house, too small to accommodate a family of six people. When Ibrahim visited the INTERSOS Community Center in Ras Al-Ara, he and his father were immediately provided with physio social first aid. Through the Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF), INTERSOS has been providing

YHF STORIES FROM THE FIELD Protection services 11 Any little help means life to us (IOM)

Location: Al-Set IDP site, Governorate

“The winter is hard on us. It destroys our bones and freezes our muscles. We fall sick for many days. And now my wife is sick. We hope that she gets better but we cannot wait anymore. She needs to go to a hospital to get mattresses, and tents. I’m an old Abdullah and Raziqa have six better.” man. Whitebeard man and I are kids: three boys and three girls. so weak. I can’t work or search Their oldest son is missing, and for a job. they think he is probably a victim of the conflict. Abdullah Mabkhout, an 80-year- The hardest thing we faced these old man originally from the days is a lack of water and the “We were given a tent, AlJawf Governorate, settled in winter weather. The water is not mattresses, and blankets. I did the Al-Set IDP site in Marib due enough, it is salty, and we have not set up the tent myself. My to recently intensified conflict. He difficulties in carrying water neighbor and other people from explained his journey: home. IOM helped us to set it up. The tent is fine for now, but it is hot in “This is the second displacement The winter is hard on us. It the day and cold at night. We will site I have lived in. The first one destroys our bones and freezes take whatever we can get,” said was in Medghal where I spent our muscles. We fall sick for Abdullah. six months. I left it because the many days. And now my wife armed conflict reached the site. is sick. We hope that she gets IOM provided 316 displaced None of these sites are better better but we cannot wait families like Abdullah’s with than the other. They are not my anymore. She needs to go to a family tents and household items home. There is no place like hospital to get better.” in the Al-Set IDP site through home for anyone. a contingency pipeline funded Abdullah’s spouse, Raziqa, I used to have a good life in Al described her condition: “I Jawf. I had my flock of sheep. suffer from headache and my And my farm. I never used to ask chest ache.” for help from anyone. But now, we live dependent on help from Their youngest son, who is organizations. Everything they named Jaber, is only eight give and anything they give we months old also suffers from have a use for it. All are good and the cold. He has a cannula in any little help means life to us. It his hand to supply him with is their help that allows us to live. intravenous (IV) antibiotics. Without them, we will die. Razia gave birth to Jaber while the family was traveling to this They give us food, water, blanket camp.

YHF STORIES FROM THE FIELD 12 Water and sanitation services by Yemen Humanitarian Fund. shock. The Contingency Pipeline through the Yemen Humanitarian The Pipeline was established in also empowers local response Fund (YHF) to implement a January 2020 to provide critical and coordination by providing $15,188,200.74 pre-positioning emergency shelter materials and humanitarian relief items to small of critical Emergency Items for non-food items (NFI), as well as and medium-sized national and the multisectoral contingency water sanitation and hygiene international non-governmental pipeline management for shelter (WASH), supplies to humanitarian organizations (NGOs). materials, non-food items (NFI), partners across Yemen. as well as water sanitation and 316 displaced families like hygiene (WASH), supplies to The nationwide Pipeline allows Ali’s in Al Set displacement humanitarian partners across for humanitarian actors to site were provided with tents Yemen. access relief items to timely and household items by the deliver assistance to vulnerable International Organization for populations after an acute Migration (IOM) supported

Any little help means life to us (UNFPA)

One day, my father came and told me that I would be getting married. He said it was only for my interest, and that the husband’s home was a better place for me,” recalled Adara, who was to get married at the age of ten.

With the ongoing conflict in marriage were highest among understand anything of what her Yemen, women’s and girls’ displaced populations, with 1 in father was saying. However, her welfare has deteriorated. An 5 displaced girls aged 10 to 19 mother’s face made her feel that estimated 1.83 million children years being married, compared a bad thing is going to happen. are losing access to schools, to 1 in 8 girls in the host including over 830,000 girls. community. “One day, my father came and Child marriages, already a told me that I would be getting problem before the conflict, have Child marriage has long been a married. He said it was only increased as the devastation of scourge in Yemen, one of the few for my interest, and that the the war engulfed the country. As countries in the region with no husband’s home was a better formal and informal protection legal minimum age of marriage. place for me,” recalled Adara, mechanisms have broken down, In a 2013 survey, nearly 32 who was to get married at the many child brides have nowhere percent of women, aged 20 to age of 10. to turn. 24, said they were married before reaching 18, and more than 9 Her mother decided not to let this A recent study by UNFPA, the percent were married younger happen. She couldn’t bear to see United Nations Population Fund, than 15. her daughters getting abused for the sake of money. She escaped across three governorates 1 showed that rates of child As a young girl, Adara did not to the local authority with her two 1 Name changed to protect privacy

YHF STORIES FROM THE FIELD Water and sanitation services 13 daughters to report the marriage of her young daughter. The local authority transferred them to the Yemen Women Union (YWU), which is supported by UNFPA through the Yemen Humanitarian Fund. They were protected from the abusive father. “I am going to do anything, ANYTHING to make this marriage stop,” the mother said while narrating the story. The marriage was stopped thanks to the efforts of the YWU and UNFPA working in collaboration with the security and judicial authorities, which provided remarkable legal support to Adara. friends so they can play together provided GBV mitigation and again. response services to the most The father annulled the marriage vulnerable women and girls in and signed a commitment not The Yemen Humanitarian collective sites and those newly to marry off his daughters until Fund (YHF) supported United displaced in 21 districts from 9 they reach the legal age. On the Nations Population Fund governorates in Yemen. way back to their home, Adara (UNFPA) to implement a $1.5 and her sister Saba called their million protection project that

YHF STORIES FROM THE FIELD 14 Water and sanitation services The Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF) is a Country-Based Pooled Fund (CBPF) that makes funding directly available to humanitarian partners operating in Yemen so they can deliver timely and effective life-saving assistance to those who need it most. In 2020, 22 generous donors contributed a total of $98 million to the YHF, making it the second largest CBPF in the world. The Fund allocated $98.6 million to 62 humanitarian projects implemented by 35 partners. THE YHF THANKS ALL OF ITS DONORS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

[email protected]; http://www.unocha.org/yemen/about-yhf; @YHF_Yemen For real-time updates of contributions and allocations, visit CBPF Business Intelligence: https://gms.unocha.org/bi