A mother of 13 children struggled with her family under the cover of war, deteriorating living conditions and rising prices in Marib governorate. Despite all that, the family kept struggling in their home until the war intensified and would possibly put their lives in great danger.
The 45-year-old mother took a hard decision to flee with her family to a neighboring governorate for survival. “The decision to displace and survive was the preservation of life and the priorities of survival, all that preoccupied my thinking despite all challenges my family will face as a result of this decision that will change my life and may take away much but will provide security and safety to us,” Zarqa stated.
In 2020, Zarqa and her family had been forced to displace from Marib governorate to an IDP camp “Al-Jamaa camp” in As Sawadiya district of Al-Bayda governorate. She added, “Here, my family and I are able to live safely despite the difficult living conditions and the scorching sun hitting our tent, but it is safer than indiscriminate shells which we might be killed with.” Now Zarqa Saleh Ali Al Ansi, 45 years old, lives with her husband and 13 children in the camp and once settled down, knowing how to plant some agricultural crops surrounding her tent. “I started planting a variety of vegetables in a small yard beside the tent in which we live, along with my husband’s work on different tasks at the village market with daily wages such as cleaning, porting, selling firewood and other works,” Zarqa said.
RDP, in collaboration with Yemen Humanitarian fund (YHF), are working together to reduce the suffering of food security crisis among areas where the most affected IDPs and host communities are settling, including Zarqa’s family, which represents a qualitative shift in the life of her family, where she was able to provide diverse food for her family. Cash assistance also contributed to the life-saving response in the field of food security for community families and displaced persons settling in 2 camps “Al-Jamaa & Al-Ghathamah” in As Sawadiya district of Al-Bayda governorate. The project has contributed greatly to increasing access to daily sustenance, targeting 500 HHs of 3,484 individuals disaggregated as (562 men, 740 women, 1,093 boys, 1,089 girls) of IDPs and most vulnerable marginalized HHs for six consecutive rounds in As-Swadyia district of AL-Bayda governorate.
The project has made a major difference for the displaced as well as host community members around the camps. As a case in point, Zarqa’s family was able to make ends meet, buying a herd of cattle to raise them and benefit from their products.
