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"With European Union support, we can finally enjoy the rain"

At Ateera displacement site in Tuban District, Lahj Governorate in Yemen, home to 714 displaced people, rain does not bring the sense of hope it often does elsewhere. Instead, it once meant sleepless nights, flooded shelters, and families desperately searching for a dry place to rest.

Sometimes, it would rain during the night, and we would spend hours searching for a place where the family could sleep until morning. The old tarpaulins were thin and fragile; they would tear in the strong winds and allowed rainwater to enter the shelters.

Taher, maintenance committee member at Ateera displacement site in Tuban District, Lahj Governorate

Taher's Story

Taher, a 27-year-old member of the site maintenance committee, recalls those days:

"Sometimes, it would rain during the night, and we would spend hours searching for a place where the family could sleep until morning. The old tarpaulins were thin and fragile; they would tear in the strong winds and allowed rainwater to enter the shelters."

While the temporary shelters offered families a roof over their heads, they could not always protect them. During every rainy season, floodwater entered the shelters, while strong winds carry sand around and inside, making living conditions even more difficult.

Mohammed's Story

Mohammed, a 57-year-old member of the community committee at the site, describes that period:

"We suffered greatly. When the rain came, the shelters would flood, and sand would enter inside. After the rain stopped, we would spend two days or more repairing the damage and cleaning the area."

Ateera site is located in an open area known for its strong seasonal winds, which intensified residents’ hardships year after year. Tarpaulins frequently tore apart, while sand became an unwelcome guest that constantly invaded the shelters.

Mohammed explains:

"Sand constantly drifted into our shelters. Sometimes, we even had to hire heavy machinery to remove the accumulated sand around the site."

Despite the challenges of life at the site, residents never stopped seeking solutions to ease the harsh reality surrounding them.

European Union Support

With funding from the European Union (EU), the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), a member of the Yemen Displacement Response (YDR) consortium, provided stronger, weather-resistant tarpaulins and established a tree belt to help reduce the impact of strong winds and limit sand encroachment toward the site. The success of this intervention was also attributed to the active engagement of the displaced community through continuous meetings aimed at improving living conditions within the site.

Mohammed says, "Now, when it rains, we feel much more at ease. We no longer experience what we used to," Taher adds with a smile, "For the first time, we enjoy the rain."

Today, families at Ateera no longer fear the arrival of the rainy season. What once meant flooded shelters and sleepless nights now brings greater peace of mind. For residents like Taher and Mohammed, a simple rainfall has become a reminder that small improvements can make a profound difference in daily life.

With funding from the EU through its Humanitarian Aid Operations, DRC, a member of YDR Consortium, supported 375 households (HHs) in Lahj Governorate by mid-July 2026. The response provided weather-resistant tarpaulin sheets to146 HHs at Ateera site and 229 HHs at Al-Rabat site, helping families better protect their homes from rain and strong winds.

Omaimah, a DRC CCCM staff member, meets with community committee members to discuss completed site maintenance activities at Ateera site in Tuban District, Lahj Governorate. Photo: RedRec