Empowering People And Enhancing Lives

Cash-for-work program changes communities for the better through sustainable responses to hunger, poverty and displacement.

Khayran Al Muharraq is one of the conflict-affected areas where 90% of its population doesn’t get enough to eat or drink clean water. In fact, only a few humanitarian agencies have supported this area as it is a war zone with difficult access constraints which resulted a huge gap of humanitarian needs.

Unfortunately, poor road conditions in Khayran Al Muharraq district have left many vulnerable people deprived from getting the basic human needs as the road is a lifeline and a key factor in delivering services and improving the delivery of humanitarian interventions to those in need. Extreme flooding as well threatens to sweep their agricultural lands and IDPs’ camps.

“It was tragic that women were having babies on the roads. The cost of transporting goods from the market to this area was rather expensive,

so goods were either carried on our shoulders or by donkeys,” Ali Abdu Hussein said, one of the beneficiaries.

Clearly, the difficulty of bumpy roads and lack of work opportunities are two main problems that concern the Yemeni rural population in general, and people of Gharbi Al-Khamisayn sub district in Khayran Al Muharraq district, Hajjah Governorate in particular.

By the generosity and continuous support of Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF), Relief and Development Peer Foundation (RDP) has therefore implemented the integrated emergency response project to respond to the needs and improve the living conditions of most vulnerable households through livelihood and water, sanitation and hygiene interventions in Khayran Al Muharraq district of Hajjah Governorate.

Livelihood support through cash-for-work changes communities for the better by sustainable responses to hunger, poverty and displacement. It gives people a space to anticipate future environmental developments.

RDP funded by YHF has supported 830 households with cash transfer assistance, 66 of which have received unconditional cash assistance as they are headed by women and people with disabilities.

The project contributed to rehabilitating 36.82 kms of rural roads and constructing 2,084 meters square of protection walls for agricultural lands, 280 meters square of protection walls for IDPs camps as well as 100 households’ latrines in Gharbi Al Khamisayn sub district, Khayran Al-Muharraq district of Hajjah Governorate.

“It is a good initiative that RDP has implemented livelihood activities in this community as if it felt people’s suffering. There aren’t any basic projects for that matter, no roads, no WASH projects. Honestly, RDP was like a person living within the community, touching and responding to their needs,” Faisal Khamisi stated, one of the beneficiaries.

In addition, RDP disbursed a total amount of $ 7,000 for the safety tools and materials to maintain the high standards of safety when doing hard labor and minimize the work injuries for 750 individuals.

“When it rains, we run away with our children to the upper village as our wooden huts (camps) are threatened by the water of the valley,” Ahmed Khamisi said, one of the beneficiaries.

Having rough roads is not the only major problem that people concern about, but also floods threaten to sweep their agricultural lands and houses. As a result, RDP through cash-for-work program helped people build 2,084 meters square of protection walls for agricultural lands and 280 meters square of protection walls for IDPs camps to be safeguarded from the danger of extreme flooding.

Besides, 100 households’ latrines were constructed to strengthen the environmental sanitation that helps eliminate the causes of diseases and epidemics such as cholera, malaria, dengue fever and reduce malnutrition among children, pregnant and lactating women.

“We are truly grateful for all the things RDP has done to our community, rehabilitation of rural roads and construction of 100 latrines as well as protection walls for agricultural lands and IDPs camps,” Ali Yahya added, one of the community leaders.

Indeed, cash-for-work program has always been the hopes and aspirations of hundreds of beneficiaries who worked very hard and fulfilled the greatest achievement on their community, hoping for a better tomorrow and a promising future.