Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has completed a project to provide shelter for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the war and flooding in Yemen. At a total cost of USD 210,024, 224 housing units were handed over to the beneficiaries in two sub-divisions of 'Abs District, Hajjah Governorate.

The handover ceremony was attended by representatives of the Supreme Council for Management and Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Hajjah and the local authority of 'Abs. Eng. Younes Mansour, the delegate of QRCS, gave a detailed presentation on the construction process. He said the project was part of QRCSs ongoing efforts to help the Yemeni people and alleviate their suffering due to the many years of humanitarian crisis.

Eng. Mansour explained that the new houses adopted a practical and flexible model that dealt with changing weather and, at the same time, ensured environmental sustainability, using building materials from the local environment. 'That is why these houses drew attention from local authorities and humanitarian organizations,' he added.

Even though the new houses are located in five distant villages, the construction was accomplished within only three months, while all technical specifications were taken into consideration.

Ahmed Hassan Hayjan, a community leader, praised QRCSs quality of work: "I hope that these services will continue, to secure the household needs, such as mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets, and kitchenware. The people here were forced out of their home villages to live in desert areas with no shelter or food. Thanks to coordination between QRCS and local authorities, these unlivable places were turned into environmentally friendly residential villages".

According to 2020 UN estimates, there are 3.1 million Yemenis in dire need for shelter and household supplies. So, QRCSs project addresses a growing shelter issue and meets the stressing needs of the most vulnerable IDPs.

Currently, two similar projects are in progress, with a total of 580 houses to be built in the governorates of Raymah, Al Hudaydah, Taiz, and Hadhramaut, with an overall budget of USD 710,500.