Emergency support to victims of the conflict in North Yemen

The main aim of this programme was to improve the living conditions of people affected by the conflict in northern Yemen and displaced to the Al Mazraq region, in particular by preserving the remaining base of their livestock, and to improve access to drinking water for people returning to their villages of origin.

The civilian population had been directly exposed to the conflict. Thousands of families had fled the combat zones and were displaced as the conflict escalated and spread geographically. Families fled from the governorates of Sa’ada and Amran towards Saudi Arabia in the north-west, the governorate of Hajjah in the south-west and Al Jawf in the east.

In this context, TGH carried out several technical assessments in October 2009 in the Haradh region, which highlighted the process of decapitalization of displaced families who had recently arrived in the region. Most of these families made a living from farming in mountainous areas, and traditionally owned 30 to 35 animals (mainly sheep and goats, a few cows and a donkey). As their livestock did not represent a real economic activity, they were not considered to be professional breeders: nevertheless, the animals were an essential part of the families’ capital, providing them with cash in case of problems (a goat could be sold, for example, if a member of the family needed medical care).

The living and health conditions of the families had been jeopardised by the reduction in livestock due to the conflict, followed by displacement, and finally settlement in the camps around Al Mazraq. Vaccination campaigns were therefore organised to maintain the livestock and, by extension, the autonomy of the population. In addition, TGH provided access to drinking water for displaced people in and around the Mazraq camp.