Day 21

One month of filtered water for a family in Yemen

Health through clean water! Health through clean water!

Preventing diseases with water filters in Yemen

The view of the landscape in the mountainous north of Yemen is impressive. Steep mountains full of terraced fields alternate with deep gorges and valleys. Impressive, but also challenging for the local population - especially with regard to the water supply. From the courtyard of the small village school, groups of women walk one after the other up the narrow, stony paths in all directions to their houses in the villages. Before dusk they have to get home and to do so they have to cross a gorge, which is called a wadi locally. This means first 600 meters down, then a bit through the stony valley and finally 700 meters up again. Today, however, every one of these meters is particularly worthwhile, because on their heads they are carrying a colorful box. Inside is their new water filter. During the distribution campaign, the women listened carefully to how they had to install the filter. Their joy was evident, because the water filter will save their families from many illnesses in the future and enable them to have a clean drinking water supply.

need

Clean water for families in Hajjah and Ibb, Yemen.

activity

Local NGOs procure water filters and distribute them to needy families to treat drinking water.

Measurable performance

Number of water filters that can be distributed to families through the good deed.

Result

Families and especially their children suffer less from diarrhea and other diseases.

Systemically relevant impact

The health situation of families improves sustainably and leads to better income and educational opportunities in the long term.

background

A war has been raging in Yemen since 2015. The conflict escalated after supporters of the Houthi tribe living in the north of the country took control of the capital Sana'a and then large parts of the country. The dialogue and reform processes initiated during the "Arab Spring" came to a standstill. A regional military alliance led by Saudi Arabia intervened in the conflict with air strikes and a naval blockade to support President Hadi against the rebels. According to reports by Deutschlandfunk (2019), the war is at a dead end. A peace agreement negotiated in Stockholm in 2018 provided for a ceasefire, support for humanitarian aid by all parties involved and the exchange of prisoners. But just a few months after the agreement was signed, international observers reported that the agreement was not being adhered to (Guardian, 2019). Human rights organizations report regular human rights violations and war crimes by both parties. The humanitarian supply situation in Yemen has been catastrophic for several years. In 2017, a cholera epidemic broke out in Yemen. Around one million people were infected with the disease. Almost 80 percent of the population is dependent on humanitarian aid (Clarke G. et al., 2019).

Access to clean drinking water is essential for the survival of rural populations. Contaminated water poses a major risk and can lead to serious illnesses. Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of death for children under 5 years of age. Every day, over 700 children worldwide die of diarrhea as a result of contaminated water and poor sanitation (UN Water, 2019). Conversely, according to UN-OCHA, improving water supply and water quality is an effective way to contain epidemics such as cholera in Yemen and improve the nutritional situation.

In rural Yemen, just 22 percent of people have a water connection (Clarke G. et al, 2018). The majority have to collect water from springs, wells and rainwater catchment basins in the area and carry it to their homes in canisters. Contamination of the water is almost impossible to avoid during filling and transport. This is also evident in the number of diarrheal diseases and recurring cholera epidemics. Many families cannot afford to improve their situation financially. Around 80 percent of Yemenis live on less than two US dollars a day and are therefore below the poverty line (Clarke G. et al., 2018).

The good deed

With your donation today, needy families in Hajjah and Ibb will have access to clean and filtered drinking water. The household water filters are robust and easy to use. They do not incur any running costs. This significantly improves the supply of clean water. The filter allows families to treat the water. Family members, especially children, will then become ill less often. This will help combat diseases and epidemics such as cholera, which are caused by contaminated and unclean drinking water. This measure improves the quality of life and reduces absences from school and work due to illness.