Providing immediate life-saving assistance for newly displaced families in Abyan

Across the country families have been forced to flee without warning, unable to carry even basic items with them. “The fighting erupted suddenly in our area, so we had to flee before nightfall and leave behind all our possessions, including our cattle, which was our only source of income,” says Eissa Ayesh, a displaced man originally from Al Hodeidah and currently sheltering in a displacement site in Abyan.

Eissa used to live happily with his wife and their four children in Al Hodeidah. But when his village and surrounding area in Bayt al-Faqih district were attacked, the family were forced to leave. After a painful five-day journey, the family reached the IDP site in Abyan governorate, exhausted and empty-handed.

The threat of cholera and COVID-19 looms high in IDP camps. The lack of adequate water and sanitation infrastructure, as well as overcrowding in IDP camps, make basic prevention measures such as isolation, physical distancing and regular hand-washing very difficult. “Coronavirus made our situation worse,” says Salam, Essia’s wife. “People are afraid of contracting coronavirus while they can’t do anything to protect themselves.”

Like Eissa’s family, 41-year-old Youssef fled the fighting in his hometown in Al Hodeidah, with his wife and their five children seeking refuge in Kanfar camp near Zangbar, a district in Abyan governorate. Reminiscing about his old life in Al Hodeidah, Youssef says: “I used to earn a daily wage to feed my family and live peacefully in my small house. Now we hardly have enough food. I go from one place to another to clean cars. Sometimes my wife goes out to beg for food.”

When they reached Abyan, both Eissa and Youssef were comforted to receive an urgent relief package consisting of basic food goods, female-focused supplies, and a hygiene kit through the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) project. In partnership with UNFPA, CARE has supported 2,050 displaced families like Eissa’ and Youssef’s in the Abyan governorate with rapid relief packages.

Responding in time to the arrival of displaced families is critical. It saves lives, helps prevent the spread of disease, and can alleviate direct suffering for communities that have already suffered too much. The RRM packages provided immediate relief. The food kit was quickly consumed, and the hygiene kits and dignity kits were extremely appreciated by the families.

“I’m grateful for the immediate assistance that I received, thanks to CARE and UNFPA,” says Eissa. “We will stay here until the situation calms down, then we will hopefully return to our hometowns,” he concludes.