Youssef Sobhy, Communications and Digital Media intern
October 22nd, 2023
In August 2022, Al-Qarn village in Hufash District,
Al-Mahweet Governorate, Yemen, faced a disaster of floods and heavy rains. The village’s footpath was destroyed, leaving residents isolated since their only connection to the outside world was demolished. Al-Qarn village is approximately a 3.5-hour drive from the Capital Sanaa, making it impossible for villagers to travel by foot, especially in these conditions.
The residents of Al-Qarn village reached out to Vision Hope International e.V. (VHI) for help. VHI promptly responded and provided emergency assistance through Rapid Response Mechanism kits (RRM) funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and later supported by the World Food Programme (WFP) and Arche noVa. 
VHI initiated the Food For Assets project (FFA) to rebuild and rehabilitate the Al-Qarn Village footpath, enabling safe and easy
movement for the residents. However, Al-Qarn village needed more assistance to create a safe environment.
The lack of bathrooms in households posed a significant health risk due to diseases and epidemics resulting from exposed sewage waste.
Mastoor Al-Habashi, one of the beneficiaries, attributed “the poor financial situation of the residents is the most prominent reason behind this issue”.
VHI made a substantial impact on Al-Qarn village by constructing nine bathrooms and launching a sanitation project to build integrated bathrooms for every household.
This initiative is expected to protect residents from severe diseases and eliminate unsanitary practices of disposing of sewage waste near their homes.
Adel Al-Habashi, the village representative, expressed relief
“The village households’ lack of bathrooms made us suffer from several problems such as diseases, dirt, and an unhealthy atmosphere, in addition to daily disputes among residents about exposed waste, as well as the suffering of women. Nevertheless, we will not suffer from these troubles so far as now we have access to safe bathrooms easily”.
