IOM Yemen: Safe Sanitation Transformed Life for Thousands of Displaced Families in Ma’rib

By: Abeer Alhasani | Communication and Translation Assistant

Ma’rib, Yemen 

On the arid plains of Yemen’s largest displacement site, Al Ramsah camp stretches into the horizon for over 14,000 families. What began years ago as a small settlement of tents and plastic sheets had become home to more than 14,000 families, seeking refuge from conflict and instability.  

Between the narrow pathways and fragile shelters lives Saleh, a father of five children. In search of safety, he and his family fled the conflict years ago to be one of the first ten displaced families to arrive in Al Ramsah with nothing but determination and the hope of rebuilding their lives. 

One challenge bound the community together—the daily struggle to live with dignity amid the lack of safe sanitation. The absence of proper sanitation infrastructure has been one of the camp’s greatest hardships. Families relied on makeshift latrines and holes dug in the ground, often covered by nothing more than sticks, tin sheets, and rocks.  

Primitive cesspits were scattered between shelters, built from local materials and shallowly covered to prevent collapse. But over time, these fragile systems were overwhelmed. With shelters built at random and packed tightly together, the open cesspits turned into dangerous traps. Wastewater seeped into homes. During rainy seasons, waste flew between shelters, spreading disease and instability.  

“When we first came here, we built up a small room where the cesspits were in; the land we uses was limited,” recalls Saleh. “We did what we could to survive, but we always worried about how the cesspits would affect our health.” 

Unsafe sanitation, open cesspits, and exposed latrines have become breeding grounds for flies and mosquitoes, while stray dogs, insects, and even snakes wandered near the shelters. Children played only steps away from these hazards, and families lived in constant fear.  

“I will never forget the day an elderly man fell into an open cesspit and got injured,” Saleh recounts. “No one walked outside at night without someone by their side.” 

Women and girls, in particular, faced the brunt of this situation. Without safe, private spaces, many used to wait until after sunset to bathe or use the toilet. Saleh’s wife, Aisha, remembers countless days of her hesitation about letting her children use the latrine at night.  

“If I had to go, my husband Saleh had to come with me. We were always scared of animals, or of being seen by people passing by.” Admits Aisha. 

The fragile latrine they built beside their shelter offered little privacy and safety. Each rainfall brought new worry that the cesspit would overflow, releasing foul smells and waste into their living space.  

For Saleh’s children, the dangers extended beyond discomfort. Without fenced areas or proper waste management, playing outside was risky. In a tragic incident, a child in the camp lost his life after falling into a poorly covered cesspit. 

“My daughter once was terrified when a dog chased her while she was near the latrine. After that incident, she refused to go again alone,” Saleh says. 

With thousands of open cesspits and limited drainage systems, the risk of disease became a constant concern. Outbreaks of cholera, acute watery diarrhea, and other sanitation-related illnesses have periodically swept through the camp. 

The lack of clean water only made matters worse. Families had to fetch water from distant points, often using the same containers for drinking, washing, and cleaning.  

Recognizing the urgent need for meaningful change, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) carried out a comprehensive sanitation and hygiene assessment across the displacement sites for a complete understanding of the challenges the families have been facing.  

IOM teams developed an integrated project that prioritized the construction of durable latrines and safe cesspits to ensure long-term sanitation solutions. Alongside the construction of latrines, the teams also distributed hygiene kits and delivered community awareness sessions aimed at strengthening healthy practices and empowering families to better protect their well-being.  

With generous support from King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) and the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), IOM’s WASH team set out to restore dignity and improve health for the camp’s most vulnerable families.  

The latrines are designed with a lockable door, a ventilation pipe, and a solid roof for protection to ensure they withstand the harsh desert climate, while connected to safe and clean water tanks.  

The construction of new, covered cesspits has also significantly reduced health-related risks. Families no longer have to dig open cesspits near their homes, and insects that once swarmed around stagnant waste have declined.  

In addition, IOM teams distributed hygiene kits containing soap, water jerrycans, and cleaning supplies. In addition, the teams conducted regular hygiene promotion sessions to encourage families to maintain their new facility.  

“The awareness sessions helped us understand how to protect ourselves, clean the latrine, and keep healthy,” says Aisha. 

Today, the narrow paths of Al Ramsah look safer. Rows of sturdy latrines stand next to shelters, and the spread of the waste no longer fills the ground. The transformation has changed the concerns of many families in terms of the safe movement in the camp.   

Having a clean, safe toilet may sound simple, but it means safety and dignity for such vulnerable communities.  

“I see my children laughing and playing around without fear, I know that good days have come,” Concludes Saleh.  

The improvement in Al Ramsah is part of IOM’s broader efforts to strengthen Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services across Yemen. Now, Thousands of displaced families have access to safe sanitation, clean environment, and renewed dignity. 

The sanitation and hygiene support was made possible through the support of EU Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) and King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief).