MUKALLA, 23 December 2008 (IRIN) - Local NGOs, working in tandem with the military, made a significant contribution to helping people affected by the late October floods in Hadramaut and Al-Mahra governorates, southeastern Yemen.

At least 90 people were killed, and 20,000-25,000 were made homeless by the floods. [see http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=81411]

Unlike international NGOs, local NGOs were present right from the start of the crisis, providing drinking water, food and shelter. The military's help was crucial in delivering supplies by air, and the government liaised with international aid agencies and coordinated relief efforts throughout.

One example of local assistance was that provided by Al-Ahgaff University (AU), a non-profit private university based in Mukalla, in collaboration with the Mukalla-based Islamic Association (IA).

The AU ordered the suspension of studies for two weeks and launched a relief campaign, sending volunteer students to remote villages. Abdullah Baharoon, the AU president, said his students had learnt practical lessons from their relief work. "One of the goals of establishing the university was to serve the community and we put this into practice in the relief campaign."

"The first thing we did was to form relief committees to go to flood-stricken areas to assess the situation, and also distribute urgently needed aid. We set up an emergency operations room in Mukalla to receive information from the affected areas. We provided the students with sat-phones to use in remote areas," said Ali Abdullah al-Hamed, head of the IA.

According to IA figures, within two weeks the association had managed to help 4,500 families in the Hadramaut and Al-Mahra governorates.

IA distributed some 5,000 sacks of rice, 2,300 bags of flour and tonnes of wheat, cooking oil, milk, canned fish, tea and other commodities. IA also distributed 6,000 blankets and 1.450.000 litres of water, but declined to say how much it had spent (most funds had been donated by the Gulf countries).

Health services

In cooperation with the United Arab Emirates Red Crescent, the IA formed a group of doctors who toured many villages in Hadramaut, offering free health services.

As part of a reconstruction plan in the affected areas, IA's al-Hamed told IRIN his association had completed a plan for building initially 60 houses in Hadramaut and 40 others in Al-Mahra.

The Tarim-based Al-Rafa'a Association (RA), a local NGO, also provided assistance to flood victims. In the early days of the disaster, some 7,000 people benefited. The RA has been serving three meals a day to over 3,000 people in Wadi Hadramaut. It said 11,360 beneficiaries had received 13,180 bags of rice, 905 bags of wheat, 1,700 cartons of cooking oil and 200 tents since the floods started. The RA also accommodated 100 families, paying their rent and feeding them for a month.

Al-Badiah Cooperation, another local NGO, donated tents, blankets, food baskets, and winter clothes costing YR30m (US$15,000).

Trying to target the most needy

Local NGOs said they faced many difficulties in their humanitarian work. "The flood had washed away the roads and we were obliged to walk for hours in some areas. Some of our stocks were looted. In some places it was difficult to distinguish between those in dire need… and those who were simply poor but not affected by the floods. Poverty-stricken people came to us saying they were in need of help," said Hussein al-Aidaroos of the IA.

Faiz Bin Shamlah, a field volunteer sent in by the IA, said it was not easy distinguishing between the needy and the well-off. "We distributed financial help through secret groups. They [the groups] handed over money surreptitiously to the needy. Many people rushed to us when they heard about money being disbursed, saying they needed help. Many people lost their property in the floods but some have rich relatives in Gulf countries, while others don't have enough money even for a cup of tea."

Bin Shamlah said many of the displaced were still experiencing post-flood trauma: "As a result of losing their houses in the twinkling of an eye, people are fighting with each other for insignificant reasons. They are tense but we forgive them even if they shout at us."

sab/ar/cb

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