Haifa lives in Aden with her husband and has two children. She holds a degree in business administration and is the founder of our partner organisation LOYAC.
Back in 2011, she briefly worked on a project with another international NGO, which she really enjoyed. She then went into banking, but that was not where her heart lay. That was the moment she realised humanitarian work was her vocation and established LOYAC. This NGO has supported hundreds of people, but one story, in particular, sticks in her mind.
Abdullah’s story
‘A few years ago we visited an orphanage in Shaab. There I met Abdullah, a young boy who had already experienced so many intense things in life. His parents had divorced and when his mother remarried he went to live with his father, a soldier. Unfortunately, his father died one day during a fight and Abdullah ended up in the orphanage.
Due to all these traumatic events, Abdullah suffered from a psychological disorder. He was also very sad about losing his father. I was very touched by Abdullah’s story and offered him psychological counselling. At first, Abdullah was very withdrawn and only wanted to draw during the sessions. He drew the same thing every time: a soldier in a field and a man on the ground riddled with bullets. This is how Abdullah expressed his grief at losing his father.
However, Abdullah has gradually learned to talk about things. His grades have also improved and he is increasingly excited about life. When he grows up, he wants to become a pilot!’
Future dreams
Haifa is convinced that Yemen has a brighter future. ‘Peace will prevail and Yemen will once again become a happy country. We wish it, strive for it and dream it. We all hope that our wish will come true.’
In the Zummar sub-district in Iraq, Dorcas provided agricultural assets and supported the improvement of livelihoods for income generation for returnees and internally displaced persons. This project was done in partnership with World Vision International and Harikar NGO and was funded by the Iraq humanitarian fund of OCHA. Othman and Ibrahim, two project participants, share how this project has benefited them.
When Othman returned to his village after the IS conflict, his agricultural business and land had been destroyed. He struggled to get enough income for his family. Dorcas provided Othman with agriculture inputs, training and an irrigation system to be able to rebuild the family’s agricultural business.
Othman describes: ‘We didn’t have enough income to cover our expenditures, but after I received the agricultural inputs from Dorcas, the expenditures have been reduced. This project has made me more self-reliant, and it has had a very good impact on the community.’
Ibrahim also returned to his village after the conflict. When he arrived, he did not have enough income to purchase seeds, fertilisers and to plow the land before planting. As part of the sustainable livelihood project, Ibrahim received rain-fed inputs and training.
Ibrahim describes: ‘Through this support, we have recultivated our lands. Due to the high prices of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides we were not able to purchase this, but now we are on the right track in our agricultural business.
Water affects us all. Clean water is a fundamental human need and an essential resource for life. Ensuring access to safe and clean water is not only important for public health and well-being, but it also impacts economic development and environmental sustainability. Therefore, it is critical to prioritise the provision of clean water to communities worldwide.
In Mozambique, the limited access to safe drinking water causes major problems. Dorcas Mozambique has improved the access of safe and clean water in the area with the project waterTime. With the token tap, members of the community can get clean water for a small fee. People who can’t afford this, get the water for free. The proceeds go to the maintenance of the water system and are used to train members of the community on how to maintain the system. In this way, Dorcas also creates jobs in the area.