Improving School Access in Yemen

By: Doa’a Al-Tahami Ahmad Al-Tashi Community Livelihoods Project Education Sector

Outlines

• Yemen education and its System in conflict. • CLP Interventions (Southern recovery, Aden &

Lahj occupying by IDPs, general school rehab, and back to school campaign)

• Challenges and Outcome • Future plans

Area: 555000 Km2 Population: 24,799,880 (2011) Capital: Sana’a Language: Arabic 21 Governorates Around 70% rural population About 50% of the population under poverty line Illiteracy rate

M F School Enrollment rate

M F Central Statistic Organization – Yemen 2004

Huthis

SM

AQAP

Arab Spring

Abyan Abyan

Abyan Sada’a

Damaged the livelihoods of another 200,000 (IDPs in schools)

Aden Schools While occupied by IDPs, No furniture and some schools were working three shifts a day.

Owis school, 45 minutes climbing

Abyan Schools

CLP Interventions Abyan Recovery (Rehabilitation)

Providing 10,000 double student desks to Aden & Lahj IDPs. vacated schools

General Rehabilitation

Back to School campaign included distribution of backpack to 127,000 students

Provision of 36 water filters

The first response to MoE, community requests, while (no other Development Partners started yet up to date) DP .That helps in creating and promoting building system.

With coordination with UNICEF schools are being almost ready to receive students desks, which will help in dwindling the availability of having tribal conflicts due to the IDPs occupation of Aden And Lahj schools.

A very critical and vital but not easy accessible school Owis school in a mountain that serves a huge number of M/F students. Equipping schools with needed furniture.

Were successfully distributed to the most poor, needy governorate, in addition to one of the most rigid governorate as well.

36 schools in Aden & Lahj have benefited fro the water filters.

Building a System • Needs Assessment • Local Contractors • Quality and Safety

Control • Maintenance Period • Sharing Information

Best Practices

• Safety & Security. • Speed • Tribal conflict • Satisfaction • Ownership

A kid holding part of a Bomb

Community Participation What did the Community do?

• Prioritized Needs • Facilitated Work Progress • Monitored Regular Visits • Provided weekly reports • Provided store room for

construction materials • Guarded the materials. • Participated in all related

delivery process.

Outcomes of Southern Recovery . 10,073 Students & 1,160 teachers benefited from the school rehab (Abyan) . 18,503 Students and 851 teachers benefited (Sana’a, Aden, Taiz) . 30,000 students are benifiting from students desks in vacated schools in Aden & Lahj.

Reopened

• Restaurants • Transportation • Motels • Water Supply • Communication • Shops

Indirect Outcomes

Abdo Aubali, “I was forced to leave my home during the conflict and live in another governorate, now I am back when I have heard about school rehabilitation to come back selling to feed my family”. Feb.13.13

(Success stories)

Grade 9 student in Abyan, finally back to school,” Just now I could attend the school with my friends , No destroyed classrooms, or ceilings, no

ugly scary slogans in the walls” Feb.13.13

Before After

Before After

Backpack Students desks

Backpacks in Al Hudiydah gov.Sep.12

Water Filters & Water tanks

Lesson Learnt

• Understanding the Context • Rehabilitating School Revived Community • Involve the Community

Plans for coming stages

.. To do research study by the end of the school academic year,

research will involve kid, parents, teacher, officials and community

References: Amnesty International. (2012). Conflict in Yemen, Abyan’s Darkest Hour. (2012). London Human Rights Watch. (2012) Classrooms in the Crosshairs, Military Use of Schools in Yemen’s Capital. USA

Thank you!