Yemen

The ongoing catastrophe in Yemen has presented an unprecedented challenge to humanitarian actors and suppliers alike. Sine 2015 our team at NRS Relief has worked closely with our clients and partners to supply fit-for-purpose high quality relief and shelter solutions to be deployed in Yemen. We scaled up the supply of goods intended for the Yemeni victims by 50%, dispatching over 600,000 items in 2018-2019.

Country at a glance

The human-made disaster in Yemen is the largest of its kind in the world. In the aftermath of an ongoing civil war, two-thirds of Yemeni people are at the brink of starvation, 14.8 million have no or limited access to basic healthcare, over 50% health facilities are not functioning and 14.4 million have no or limited access to safe drinking water and sanitation. The country’s borders and airports remain closed and civilians displaced by violent conflict are forced to live in cramped conditions and deepening poverty.

As conflict rages on, millions are gripped by a cholera outbreak. Cholera is sensitive to conflict and is usually associated with poor infrastructure, food insecurity, consumption of contaminated food and water, and inadequate sanitation facilities. 39% of those affected by the cholera epidemic in Yemen are children under the age of 5, while the median age of the affected population is 9 years old. The international humanitarian community has come forward for relief efforts, however, their operations are consistently halted by sudden bursts of violent conflicts. Continued fighting prevents shipments of food and fuel from entering the country. Hospitals do not have diesel fuel to operate generators during power cuts, and ambulances have run out of gasoline. Stocks of antibiotics and critical medical supplies have been depleted, undermining efforts to curb the outbreak.

Our response

We have effectively responded to the urgent client requests as the demand for life-saving relief essentials is continuous. From 2018 to 2019, we have sold over 600,000 core relief items and shelter solutions to UN agencies and other leading humanitarian actors working on ground in Yemen. Our easy-to-carry water buckets and innovative Jerry Buckets designed to combat water contamination have been crucial in ensuring safe drinking water for the Yemeni population fighting off cholera. Moreover, our mobile storage units have often been deployed as emergency field hospitals by our clients, complementing much needed relief efforts for cholera patients. In addition, we have provided over 100,000 tarpaulins, also known as the aid workers’ secret weapon. Read more about the versatility of this crucial relief item in our Blog.