USAID’s contribution to the Public Works Program alleviates poverty through short-term job creation and improves the living conditions for the poorest Yemeni citizens.

Ongoing conflict in Yemen has devastated social and economic networks, increasing poverty and vulnerability. Conflict diminishes the availability of staple foods, basic goods and education, leads to loss of livelihoods and degrades health. The impact of war disrupts education and health institutions, social safety nets and basic services. The recent cholera outbreak is exacerbating already strained social and economic systems, with the number of cases and associated deaths rising quickly.

USAID’S RESPONSE AND EXPECTED RESULTS

Support for the Public Works Program (PWP) prioritizes USAID’s continued commitment to health and education services, in addition to livelihood development. Implemented through the UNDP, PWP has a solid and credible history of social safety net-oriented programming in Yemen. In addition, cholera-focused activities will help alleviate the immediate health crisis.
USAID support will focus on two main components:

1) Minor rehabilitation of schools: Minor Rehabilitation of 350 classrooms up to $50,000/school. Minor repairs/renovations includes walls, floors, fences, yards, sidewalks, bathrooms including rain water harvesting reservoirs, doors, windows and painting. The program will also provide desks and chairs. More than 350 schools located in the top priority districts are included. 250 will be selected based on the “distress index” and in consultation to local communities. An additional 100 schools will be selected from underserved communities in the governorates of Hadhramout, Almahra and Lahj.

2) Emergency cholera response support, including water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programs in high priority districts. In alignment with the integrated Cholera response and in coordination with the Health and WASH clusters, PWP will focus its WASH interventions on addressing long-term preventative water system needs. PWP will add chlorination units to water supply networks and install hand washing stations and toilets in high priority districts. It will also conduct cholera prevention campaigns using the WASH Cluster’s standard operating procedures.

Assistance to emergency cholera response efforts is being closely coordinated with USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), in addition to the broader donor community. OFDA reviewed the PWP proposal and provided feedback, which was incorporated into the final PWP program description. This assistance also reinforces separate USAID support to Maternal and Newborn Child Health (MNCH), through a Global Health Bureau field support buy-in, which includes a cholera response component.

PROJECT PARTNERS
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)