Large-scale sustainable water systems installed by UNICEF and partners provide access to safe water for families, schools and health centers in Yemen.
Seventeen-year-old Jamila, far right, pours water from a bottle while hanging out with her fellow students in the yard of Al-Zahra'a School in Dhamar Governorate, Yemen, on Feb. 28, 2023.
© UNICEF/UN0812612/QadariEight years of conflict and a deteriorating economy in Yemen have devastated both the country's people and the basic services they rely on. Fuel prices have skyrocketed since the war began, leaving diesel-powered water pumps too costly to operate. Growing water scarcity has been exacerbated by climate change.
Lack of access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) puts children at a higher risk from malnutrition, cholera and death from common infections.
"The war has had a dire impact on our physical and mental health," says Jamila, a 17-year-old student at Al-Zahra'a School in Dhamar Governorate. "It has caused division in our society and systematically destroyed the education system."
How does access to safe water affect a child's education? Watch the video to find out.
More than 150 solar fields are up and running, benefitting 2.5 million people
Schools need safe water and working toilets to keep their students healthy. Many learners are forced to skip school or drop out altogether to spend their days fetching drinking water for their families.
To improve water access in Yemen, UNICEF and partners are installing sustainable, solar-powered water systems across the country. More than 150 solar fields are already up and running, benefitting 2.5 million people.
The now-solarized Sama well field has secured clean water for 137,000 people in Dhamar, including the students and teachers at Jamila's school.
"Water in my school was nonexistent," she says, "but after UNICEF started this water aid project, and provided water tanks and solar energy systems, it has affected us positively as students, and we are all happy."
UNICEF is working around the clock to protect Yemen's children and help them reach their full potential. Your contribution can make a difference. Please donate.
