Women and girls in Amran City gather at a water tank provided by CARE. Photo: CARE.
Nearly a year of intense conflict and bombing has destroyed water pipes, storage tanks and water pumping facilities across Yemen, making it even harder for ordinary people to get enough water each day. According to the United Nations, nearly 20 million of Yemen’s people are now in need of water and sanitation assistance.
CARE is rehabilitating water sources and providing water tanks so women and children do not have to travel long distances to collect water. CARE is also providing hygiene kits and hygiene promotion. These pictures are from Amran, a region just north of the capital Sana’a which has seen fierce fighting during the conflict.
Above: Women walk along a street strewn with rubble from bombing, carrying water collected from a water tank provided by CARE. Photo:Thana Faroq/CARE.
Photo:Thana Faroq/CARE.
Yemeni children returning home after they have refilled their jerry cans with water. As this photo was taken, there was a sudden burst of explosions. One of the boys yelled: "You hear the bombs now, it’s a huge bomb! Where are you going? Let’s stick together!"
Photo:Thana Faroq/CARE.
“Trips to the fountain always involve bringing my young child, because I have no one to watch over him. My husband is ill and my family left Amran in fear of the heavy bombing,” said Khadija as she wheeled her water and child home.
Photo:Thana Faroq/CARE.
“Having access to clean water has made life much easier. Before I would walk for hours in search of water,” said Khadija (above).
Photo:Thana Faroq/CARE.
We have always been discriminated against and it’s rare for people to help us, but this fountain has been such a huge help. “Our donkeys must be even happier that they no longer have to travel long distances for us to collect water,” said Om Saad (above right).
Photo:Thana Faroq/CARE.
A woman rests and others clean their buckets before they do another trip to collect water from the public water tap provided by CARE. Om Sharaf told us:It was a happy moment when CARE set up the water tap. I used to struggle to find water to cook. “However, making several trips to collect water is also tiring. I dream of the day when the water streams from a tap in my house.”
Photo:Thana Faroq/CARE.
A young girl carries a jerry can. This girl and dozens of others line up to collect water instead of being in school. Since the conflict erupted, families in this community have had limited access to clean water. This girl told us: "I come every morning to collect water with my family. I carry my jerry can half way, but then I get really tired."
Photo:Thana Faroq/CARE.
“I had no one to provide for my children after my husband’s death. But this water project from CARE has allowed me to grow radishes and sell them. But now with the war, I only sell on very rare occasions,” said Om Taher (above). "The bombs don’t stop. People run away to other villages and God only knows what happens to them."