Hodeidah: Thousands take to the streets for Ramadan clean-up campaign

Hodeidah  – Communities throughout Hodeidah are participating in a Clean-Up initiative – removing waste from the streets, during the holy month of Ramadan. From 20 May to 20 June 2019, four thousand citizens of the Mina, Hali and Hawak districts are helping to restore “life as usual” in the port city.

While 350 tonnes of solid waste are produced in Hodeidah each day, conflict has impeded basic services such as waste collection. This has caused an accumulation of waste in the city, contaminated the water supply and increased the risk of cholera – which is most prevalent during the rainy season.

Organized in collaboration with the Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF) and the District Cleaning Fund (DCF), the Ramadan Clean-Up is designed to help address the issue of waste in two ways: first, by reducing the production of waste by communities; and secondly; by improving the ability of local institutions like the DCF to deliver services.

Communities are trained to reduce the volume of waste they produce, while also participating in the collection of waste that already exists.

The DCF will benefit from additional human labour throughout the initiative; and UNDP will provide fuel and spare vehicle parts so that the DCF can repair damaged vehicles for future use.

It is estimated that 110,000 people will benefit from the initiative. The first of its kind, the Ramadan Clean-Up will serve as a pilot, to be followed by similar activities in the future.

Collective action is critical for improving living conditions, protecting public health, and reducing the risk of disease. More broadly, it is a way for communities to take ownership and “bring back normal life.”