LocationsNew water network supports Yemeni communities
March 20, 2024
The new water pipes installed in Dhamar, Yemen
Many communities in rural Yemen face a myriad of challenges, including lack of functioning infrastructure and public services, and limited access to resources, including clean water. These challenges are all too often further aggravated by the ongoing crisis and community conflict.
In Dhamar Governorate, the Dhabah water network serving Maghrib Ans and Al-Jadad was negatively impacted for almost two decades due to limited financial assets and the protracted crisis. This has not only resulted in conflict among community members, but it has also caused school students to leave school in order to support their families with fetching water from remote areas.
Children fetching water after school in Dhamar, Yemen
Sa'adia Abu Shayea, an 18-year-old community member of the Al-Jadad neighborhood in Dhamar, notes, "Due to water scarcity, the burden of fetching water largely fell on children and women. We often had to fetch water from mosques, street tanks, and private wells. We regularly had to go on long journeys to get water."
The newly rehabilitated water network in Dhamar, Yemen
Supported by the UN Peace Support Facility (PSF), the ‘Strengthening Inclusive Local Governance and Peacebuilding in Yemen’ Project was able to complete the rehabilitation of the main water network in Maghrib Ans and Al-Jadad in 2023. To rehabilitate the networks, the UN PSF worked closely with the local water consultation committees in Dhamar, ensuring sustainability and a high-level of local inclusion and decision-making.
"The rehabilitation of the network allows us access to clean and safe water, enhances our community safety, and improves the overall living conditions of families." - Samira Al-Qanoun, a member of the Consultation Committee in Dhamar Governorate
Currently serving 420 households, the newly rehabilitated water network is projected to serve over 800 households.
The water pump after it was rehabilitated in Dhamar, Yemen
“We cannot achieve peace without providing access to clean and safe water to every community member,” emphasizes Ahmed Ali Al-Dourani, Deputy Governor of Dhamar Governorate.
This initiative was implemented by the Political Development Forum (PDF) and the Berghof Foundation as part of the ‘Strengthening Inclusive Local Governance and Peacebuilding’ Project which works to support communities in Yemen by restoring local infrastructure, which in return helps resolve community conflicts and strengthen social cohesion.
This project was made possible thanks to the generous funding from the European Union, the German Cooperation and Government of Norway.
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