Yemen Semi-Annual Report April – September 2018

In Al Mahwit governorate, Mercy Corps targeted internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had come from Hudaydah as the first responder to meet their critical, immediate needs, such as water and non-food items (NFIs). The conflict around Hudaydah city and airstrikes targeting the main supply route to Sana'a and other parts of the northern governorates created scarcity of basic commodities in the market, with prices soaring and unprecedented devaluation of the Yemeni Rial against the dollar. The fuel shortage observed in most parts of the northern governorates led to price rises in the market, resulting in community demonstrations and violent clashes in some locations, such as Taiz city. The soaring prices and fuel shortage created challenges to program implementation, as vendors kept changing their prices and some activities were stopped due to unavailability of fuel in the market. Similar issues were faced in the southern governorates, where the depreciation of the Yemeni Rial against the dollar resulted in blockades and clashes across Aden, Abyan, Al Dhale'e, and Lahj governorates in mid-August. During the reporting period, Mercy Corps continued to train community volunteers for hygiene promotion activities in the community in Taiz and Al Mahwit, while in Sana'a and Al Mahwit, WASH technical assessments and bill of quantities (BoQs) designs were completed. The BoQs were approved by the donor. Community committees continued working with beneficiaries on livelihood restoration projects, including vocational training and business proposal writing. Selected health workers in Al Mahwit attended community-based management of severe acute malnutrition (S/MAM) and infant and young child feeding (IYCF) training. The support to cholera response continued during the reporting period in Al Mahwit, Sana'a, and Taiz. Health workers and community health volunteers were trained on cholera case definition, case management, and referrals, and community cholera prevention. In the southern governorates, progress against expected deliverables was observed during the reporting period. Hygiene promotion campaigns reached 75,477 individuals with hygiene messages through door-to-door and public sessions by community volunteers. Family Hygiene Kits were distributed to 3,317 households in three governorates: Lahj, Al Dhale'e, and Hadramaut. WASH and non-WASH community rehabilitation projects also commenced, with 2 sanitation projects completed in Al Dhale'e, 20 rehabilitation projects in Abyan, Lahj, and Hadramaut, 3 school rehabilitation projects in Hadramaut and Al Dhale'e, and 3 health facilities in Hadramaut and Al Dhale'e. Fifteen grantees were able to restore their livelihood after receiving all the installments of their grant. Ten restoration grantees along with 68 grantees from the Phase 2 OFDA grant completed the 40-day basic business training conducted concurrently in four governorates: Hadramaut, Lahj, Abyan, and Al Dhale'e. The 60-day vocational skills training under New Livelihood Development was completed with 160 trainees (120 in Aden and 40 in Hadramaut). All received tool kits at the end of the training to help them start their new business. They also completed the 60-day apprenticeship program where they worked at local SMEs to further improve their skills. In addition, 1,772 individuals have been given temporary labor through cash for work (CfW) working as laborers of rehabilitation projects. Environmental health campaigns (EHC) were conducted in five communities in Taiz and in five market places in Al Mahwit. Market places were targeted as they are considered to be one of the contamination fields, especially during the rainy season. The EHC was implemented during the rainy season to reduce the spread of disease, including cholera. Each campaign lasted for 15 days, and skilled and unskilled community members participated in the campaign. Prior to the campaign, community committees were formed to mobilize the community and select skilled and unskilled campaign participants through the cash for work scheme. Solid waste removal activity was conducted at three locations in the north. The three locations were Hamdan district of Sana'a governorate, Taiz city (Enclave), and outside Taiz city in Hawuban. Mercy Corps signed an MoU with the respective Cleaning Fund managers. The activities were successfully implemented for 60 days in all locations and were completed except for Hamdan district which is ongoing due to fuel availability issues and bureaucratic hurdles. Mercy Corps provided hand tools and safety clothes to facilitate the solid waste removal activity and guard the safety of laborers. In this activity, 354 TCIF staff participated in the solid waste removal activity. Daily field visits were conducted by the MEL team to monitor the solid waste removal activity, track the trucks' attendance and loadings, and to register the