In Yemen’s Hajjah Governorate, years of conflict and drought left families struggling for clean water, fuelling tensions between displaced and host communities. With donor support, ADO restored water networks and created community-managed systems that now deliver safe water, reduce disease, and prevent conflict.

LOCATION
Hajjah Governorate, Yemen

A community-led Investment preventing losses from water scarcity

In Yemen’s Hajjah Governorate, water scarcity is one of the greatest risks threatening lives and livelihoods. Years of conflict have left water infrastructure in ruins, while climate stress has made water access even more precarious. Families – especially internally displaced persons (IDPs) – were forced to rely on unsafe water sources. With clean water so limited, tensions rose between IDPs and host communities, risking open conflict over scarce resources.

To prevent disaster losses linked to water scarcity and public health crises, ADO, with support from DKH, launched an emergency yet forward-looking WASH initiative. The goal was not only to restore access to clean water but to invest in solutions that could prevent conflict, reduce disease outbreaks, and promote resilience.

Financing and community engagement

The project adopted a participatory approach from the outset. ADO engaged local committees, IDPs, and host communities in focused discussions to understand their needs and resolve conflicts. Community members themselves suggested that rehabilitating water networks and expanding access points could ease tensions.

With donor financing, ADO rehabilitated water pipelines, installed new water stations, and extended distribution networks. These investments ensured safe water reached both IDPs and host communities. To make the system sustainable, a modest community fee system was introduced to cover maintenance and incentivize local committees.

Impact in people’s lives

The impact of this modest but well-targeted investment was immediate and profound:

• Reduced health risks: Families now access safe drinking water daily, lowering their vulnerability to cholera, diarrhea, and COVID-19
• Prevented resource-driven conflict: Shared access to rehabilitated water points reduced tensions between displaced and host communities, fostering peace
• Strengthened resilience: The fee system enabled long-term operation and maintenance, reducing dependence on external aid
• Empowered communities: Local committees gained management skills, ensuring ownership and accountability

Fatima, a displaced mother of four, shared: “Before, my children often fell sick from dirty water, and fetching water caused disputes with Neighbours. Now we have clean water nearby, and peace in the community feels possible again.”

Outcome

This project demonstrates how financing for disaster risk reduction – in this case through rehabilitating WASH systems – can prevent multiple layers of loss: loss of health, loss of peace, and loss of dignity. By turning short-term humanitarian support into a community-managed system, the initiative transformed vulnerability into resilience.

It is a model of how local ownership, combined with strategic financing, can prevent crises before they spiral into disasters.