STORIES FROM THE FIELD COVID-19 RESPONSE COVID-19 awareness campaign in Abyan Governorate (AYF) Location: Zinjibar & 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. Yemen’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 Hayfan District. © 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) Taiz 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.