First-grade student Alif Aqabat washes her hands in safe, clean water at the Asmaa School for Girls in the city of Dhamar, Yemen, thanks to a project undertaken by the Yemeni Red Crescent, with support of the IFRC and the European Union.
First-grade student Alif Aqabat washes her hands in safe, clean water at the Asmaa School for Girls in the city of Dhamar, Yemen, thanks to a project undertaken by the Yemeni Red Crescent, with support of the IFRC and the European Union.
First-grade student Alif Aqabat washes her hands in safe, clean water at the Asmaa School for Girls in the city of Dhamar, Yemen, thanks to a project undertaken by the Yemeni Red Crescent, with support of the IFRC and the European Union.
Photo: Yemen Red Crescent Society
As the world marks World Water Day (22 March), we share stories that show how access to clean water can transforms people's lives. In Yemen, where water scarcity remains a pressing challenge, clean water is not just about survival—it’s about dignity, education, and a brighter future for children like Alif.
For first-grader Alif Aqabat, a young girl from the Yemeni city of Dhamar, school should have been a place of learning and growth. Instead, it became a daily struggle.
“I couldn’t use the bathrooms or drink the water,” she recalled. “I told my mom I couldn’t stay because it wasn’t clean.”
Alif wasn’t alone. Asmaa School for Girls in Dhamar was facing a major hygiene crisis. The restrooms were in poor condition, and the drinking water wasn’t safe. Teachers, like Afrah Al-Ashwal, who had been educating students there for 15 years, saw firsthand how this impacted the children.
“We had lots of problems, especially students catching diseases,” she explained.
But change was coming. Thanks to a dedicated water and sanitation project launched by the Yemen Red Crescent, the school underwent a much-needed renovation. New water taps were installed, and proper plumbing was put in place for the bathrooms.
The renovations were one of several initiatives by the Yemen Red Crescent Society to upgrade or install new clean water and sanitation services in communities where needs are most acute. The work is supported through a joint initiative of the European Union and the IFRC known as the Programmatic Partnership.
At the Asmaa School for Girls, the transformation was immediate.
“The project has solved many problems in the school, especially regarding student health,” said Principal Ghada El Shazmi. “It has helped create an attractive and healthy environment for learning.”
For Alif, the change meant one thing—she could finally return to school.
“One day, I found out they installed clean water taps and fixed the restrooms,” she said. “So I told my mom I wanted to go back.”
Now, Alif is back in school, learning, growing, and dreaming of a bright future. A simple change—clean water—made all the difference.
A woman carries a plastic jug full of water on her head as she walks with her son back to town. People in this Yemeni village often have to walk long distances to fetch clean water.
A woman carries a plastic jug full of water on her head as she walks with her son back to town. People in this Yemeni village often have to walk long distances to fetch clean water.
A woman carries a plastic jug full of water on her head as she walks with her son back to town. People in this Yemeni village often have to walk long distances to fetch clean water.
Photo: Yemen Red Crescent Society
From drought to hope: bringing clean water to Yemen’s Al Souq Al Jadid
In another Yemeni community, a similar story is unfolding.
For years, the women of Al Souq Al Jadid in Yemen’s Kharif District followed a daily routine that was both exhausting and frustrating. With water containers balanced on their heads, they walked long distances to wells—only to find them dry. Sometimes, they would have to trek even farther in search of another water source, their efforts often met with disappointment.
Washing clothes was another struggle. Women carried heavy bundles of laundry up to the wells, hoping to clean their families’ clothes, only to discover there was no water. When that happened, their only option was to journey nearly a kilometer away to three rainwater pools.
There, they would spend half the day washing blankets, utensils, and clothes—an arduous task made harder by the sheer distance and time involved.
Water was a necessity, not just for drinking but for every aspect of life—cleaning the house, washing dishes, doing laundry, and even keeping animals hydrated.
Yet, access to clean drinking water was never guaranteed. By the afternoon, water supplies often run low, forcing another trip to the well. The alternative was drinking from a rust-contaminated water tank, turning every sip into a health risk.
The consequences of drinking from such contaminated sources can be serious – even deadly. Contaminated water sources in Yemen have led to outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, and other health issues such as kidney problems and other bacterial infections.
Young girls line up at a new row of water spigots installed at Asmaa School for Girls by the Yemeni Red Crescent with support from the IFRC and the European Union.
Young girls line up at a new row of water spigots installed at Asmaa School for Girls by the Yemeni Red Crescent with support from the IFRC and the European Union.
Young girls line up at a new row of water spigots installed at Asmaa School for Girls by the Yemeni Red Crescent with support from the IFRC and the European Union.
Photo: Yemen Red Crescent Society
This is one of the reasons, the Yemen Red Crescent and the Programmatic Partnership embarked on an ambitious project to help alleviate the situation in Al Souq Al Jadid.
Over a period of five months, the Yemen Red Crescent oversaw the installation of a reliable water distribution system that is now bringing clean water directly to homes. Today, more than 8,000 people—1,200 families across 900 households—benefit from the project.
Gone are the days of waiting for mobile water tankers, uncertain of when the next supply would arrive. Now, water is pumped to a collection tank in Al-Birr and then distributed directly to homes in Al Souq Al Jadid.
Alif explains her science project – a paper maché model of a volcano – to other students at the Asmaa School for Girls in the city of Dhamar, Yemen.
Alif explains her science project – a paper maché model of a volcano – to other students at the Asmaa School for Girls in the city of Dhamar, Yemen.
Alif explains her science project – a paper maché model of a volcano – to other students at the Asmaa School for Girls in the city of Dhamar, Yemen.
Photo: Yemen Red Crescent Society
For the community, this project has been life-changing. The struggles of collecting water from distant wells are over. Women no longer spend hours on the road or at rainwater pools. And most importantly, families now have safe, clean water to drink.
“We’re grateful we no longer go to wells,” one resident shared. “Today, we drink clean water, and everyone knows it’s much better than what we had before.”
What was once a daily hardship is now a distant memory. Clean water has not just quenched thirst in this community—it has transformed lives.
Learn more:
Read more about World Water Day and IFRC’s approach to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Read more about the Programmatic Partnership.