The Fight for Water in Yemen’s Drying Land

West Coast, Yemen – In the arid landscape of Yemen’s West Coast, water is often a distant dream. For many years, families have endured long walks under the scorching sun in search of clean water. “We walk for hours, just for a few jerrycans of water,” shares Hassan, a father of four who arrived in Yakhtol five years ago. “Some days, we come back empty-handed. It feels like the water is slipping further out of reach.”

The war in Yemen has forced over 4.5 million people from their homes, and many have sought refuge in rural villages like Yakhtol. As more displaced families arrive, often with nothing more than the clothes on their backs, the strain on already scarce resources grows. The expanding population is now forced to compete for access to water, shelter, and basic services, further exacerbating the challenges faced by both displaced individuals and local residents.

The declining soil fertility, increasing salinization of water sources, and rising sea levels have severely threatened agriculture along Yemen’s coast, particularly in Yakhtol. A once-modest fishing and farming community now has to battle for its very survival.

Yakhtol’s residents, who once relied on small-scale agriculture to sustain their families, now find it nearly impossible to grow crops or feed their livestock. The climate has become increasingly hostile to traditional farming methods. Small-scale fishing, which had also been a lifeline for the local economy, is in decline. As crops fail and fish stocks dwindle, the population is left with fewer options.

Mohammed Ali, another resident of Yakhtol, knows this all too well. “If there is no water, we cannot live – water is life,” he says. Each day, he wakes before dawn to search for water, a task that consumes his mornings and drains his energy. His daily trips to communal water points are fraught with uncertainty. “How long will I have to wait? Will I find enough water to support my family? Will I find any at all?” he asks.

This struggle for water is compounded by years of conflict that have ravaged the infrastructure once vital to Yakhtol’s survival. The water system, originally built to serve 200 homes, is now stretched beyond its limits, trying to meet the needs of over 1,500 families, including hundreds of displaced people who have sought refuge from violence in frontline areas.

To address these challenges, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has stepped in to restore the water infrastructure. Through the rehabilitation of pipelines and the construction of new water points, IOM’s intervention helps alleviate the burden on families like Hassan’s and mitigate conflict over resources. The project also addresses health risks by ensuring that both host communities and displaced families have reliable access to clean water.

As part of its efforts in Yakhtol, IOM has also worked on expanding the water-distribution network. This includes installing larger pipes and constructing additional water-storage facilities, ensuring that the limited supply is efficiently distributed across the community. Solar-powered water-pumping systems have been introduced, providing a sustainable energy source that reduces reliance on expensive and often unavailable fuel.

Furthermore, IOM is working to help communities better withstand extreme weather events like floods. This involves upgrading the water system to improve its flood resilience, carefully planning to avoid areas that are prone to flooding and creating protective measures such as gabion walls. Additionally, automatic chlorinators will be installed to disinfect water.

The expansion of water infrastructure in Yakhtol brings hope to families like Mohammed’s, who have endured years of hardship. “I used to take water for granted,” Mohammed recalls. “Now, even a single drop feels like a precious gift.”

While progress has been made in Yakhtol, similar struggles continue in other parts of the West Coast. In a displacement camp in Hays, Sami, a father of twelve, shares a familiar story of hardship. “Most of the people who go to fetch water here are children; they don’t go to school because they have to help,” he explains. The lack of access to clean water has deprived his children of education, forcing them into a cycle of daily household chores.

In Hays, IOM is working to address the severe water shortage by constructing a new well that will provide clean and reliable water to thousands of displaced families and host communities. This well is a critical lifeline in a community where the daily search for water has long consumed families’ time and energy. By providing a consistent water source, IOM’s intervention not only eases the physical burden on families but also reduces health risks linked to contaminated water.

Despite these efforts, the challenges remain daunting. Climate change and extreme weather events across Yemen continue to amplify the country’s water crisis, adding to the pressures of conflict and displacement. Despite the daunting challenges, Sami remains optimistic: “We support each other through the hardships,” he says.

As communities continue to grapple with these overlapping crises, the work of organizations like IOM offers a glimmer of hope. Through the rehabilitation of water systems and the provision of essential aid, IOM is helping to restore dignity and stability to families pushed to the brink by conflict and climate change.

Families like Sami’s and Hassan’s understand that while clean water is essential, it is only part of what is needed to rebuild their lives. “We need more than just water,” Hassan says. “We need our children to be able to go to school. We need to feel safe.”

IOM’s rehabilitation of the water supply in Yakhtol is funded by USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance, while the Hays project is supported by the German Government through the KfW Development Bank.