IOM and KSrelief Launch USD 4.45 Million Projects to Improve Water and Education Services in Yemen

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – 23 September – The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) has partnered with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to launch two major humanitarian projects in Yemen, with a total budget of USD 4.45 million. The projects will expand access to clean water and improve education services for communities affected by crises, underscoring KSrelief’s dedication to reducing the suffering of the Yemeni people.

The first project, valued at USD 2.25 million, will improve access to safe water supply services for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities in Ma’rib. The project will drill a new borehole, install a hybrid pumping unit, construct multiple 200m³ elevated tanks, and lay over 10 km of new water pipelines. Two water desalination plants will also be established, and existing water systems in Ben Aboud Neighborhood will be rehabilitated. To ensure sustainability, WASH Committees and local authorities will receive training in system management and maintenance.

The second project, worth USD 2.2 million, will support the continuity of education services in Aden, Lahj, and Ta’iz governorates. By rehabilitating and enhancing the capacity of 12 schools, the intervention will provide safe and adequate learning spaces for displaced, returnee, and host community children, helping to reduce overcrowding and social tensions.

“KSrelief is focused on practical, lasting solutions that uphold the dignity of Yemeni families. By replacing costly water trucking with permanent water systems in Ma’rib and rehabilitating schools in Aden, Lahj, and Ta’iz, we are investing in resilience and in a better future for the next generation.” stated Dr. Hana Omer, Director of Partnerships and International Relations Department, KSrelief. “Our partnership with IOM ensures these services are delivered efficiently and sustainably, in close coordination with local authorities and communities.”

In conflict-battered Yemen, millions of people need assistance amid economic decline and repeated displacement. Access to safe water remains a critical challenge, particularly in governorates such as Ma’rib. At the same time, years of conflict have damaged or destroyed much of the country’s education infrastructure, leaving children without safe and adequate learning spaces.

“KSrelief’s timely support enables IOM to deliver life-saving water services to displaced families in Ma’rib and to grant thousands of children better education environments across three governorates. These two initiatives are vital to help vulnerable communities restore normalcy to their lives, after years of living in dire situations,” said Othman Belbeisi, Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, IOM.

KSrelief remains one of Yemen’s leading humanitarian donors, supporting people across the country through interventions in health, shelter, food security, WASH, and education. This new funding builds on KSrelief’s sustained efforts to ease suffering and promote recovery in Yemen, which continues to face one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.

For media inquiries, please contact:

IOM Yemen Communications Team – iomyemenmediacomm@iom.int