Marib, Yemen - On Thursday, August 29, 2024, the local authorities in Marib Governorate (northeastern Yemen) inaugurated the strategic Marib water Reservoir project, boasting a capacity of 2,000 cubic meters and serving over a million displaced people and host community members.

According to the official Yemeni news agency Saba, the project's total construction cost reached $708,000, funded by the Muslim Hands organization.

During the inauguration, Marib Governorate Deputy, Abdurabbu Muftah, alongside the funding officer of the British Muslim Hands organization, Yizrab Shah, inspected the project components. The project, they said, will serve approximately 1.2 million displaced people and host community members.

The project, as reported by the agency, includes an underground concrete Reservoir, an additional pumping unit with a water lifting capacity of 200 meters vertically and a production capacity of 200 cubic meters per hour. It also includes a pumping unit room measuring 20 square meters, and a stone-paved road leading to the Reservoir, spanning 82 meters in length and 6 meters in width, for easier access.

"This project will contribute to expanding the clean water networks managed by the General Water and Sanitation Authority," Muftah stated, emphasizing the importance of expanding humanitarian partnerships with the organization and expanding its effective interventions in the governorate. Marib hosts over 62% of Yemen's displaced population, exceeding 3 million people, amidst a humanitarian crisis that he described as "worsening."

Muftah assured that the local authorities will provide all necessary facilities and overcome any obstacles to implement humanitarian projects, alleviating the suffering of citizens.

In turn, the Muslim Hands funding officer and regional director praised the facilities provided by the local authorities, stating that "Marib receives special attention from the organization due to its unique role in hosting the largest gathering of displaced people, alongside the significant facilities received from the local authorities," according to the agency.

Beyond the weak infrastructure in Marib Governorate, it also houses the majority of the country's displaced population, reaching 2,134,497 displaced people according to the annual report of the Executive Unit for the Management of Displaced Persons Camps in Marib. This includes 63,623 families comprising 458,085 individuals residing in camps.