Ma’rib – Yesterday (23 March), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) handed over completed construction projects, which included a main access road to the Al Jufainah Camp in Ma’rib City, a flood protection wall for the Camp and renovations to a Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MOPIC) office building, at an inauguration ceremony in Ma’rib, attended by Deputy Governor of Ma'rib, MoPIC and local authority officials.

“Since 2019, IOM has been leading efforts to provide urgent services and to meet basic needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ma'rib, which hosts the largest number of displaced families in Yemen," said Mohamed Elmasry, IOM CCCM Officer. "The projects inaugurated today will significantly improve the living conditions of thousands of IDPs."

Ma’rib saw the highest levels of displacement in 2020, with the trends continuing into this year as upticks in fighting took place in the governorate. Displacement sites are chronically overcrowded and often without enough services and support. Given the conditions of most displacement sites, improvements are needed to ensure the safety and quality of life for residents.

Improving the access road to Al Jufainah camp, Yemen’s largest displacement site, means that aid can more easily reach nearly 10,000 families in dire need of humanitarian relief items and services. The old road was prone to flooding due to its location and design, which made access to the camp during rainy seasons difficult and directly hindered IDPs' ability to access services outside the camp.

Extreme weather and floods often destroy displacement sites during the rainy season. In Al Jufainah Camp, families living along the southern border of the site were particularly affected by flooding and subsequent landslides. To enhance the safety in the Camp, IOM constructed a flood-prevention wall along the flood path to protect shelters from heavy rains. The wall, constructed in coordination with the local authorities in Ma'rib, will play a vital role in protecting the lives and properties of hundreds of families and prevent further displacements.

“During the rainy season houses and properties are damaged and destroyed by the rain and the heavy flooding, and this project will put an end to this. This wall will protect property and lives, and will provide families with safety and stability, allowing them to improve their shelters without fear that they will be destroyed,” said Zayed Alsamawy, an IDP living in Al Jufainah Camp.

The renovations to the MoPIC office will ensure that local authorities are empowered to operate and coordinate humanitarian assistance with partners on the ground, a key component to the humanitarian response in Yemen, by providing a functional and well-equipped working space.

IOM works to respond to the immediate needs of affected communities in Ma'rib, coordinate humanitarian response and improve access to services by rehabilitating key community infrastructure.