November Rain in Yemen

It has been a month since my last blog and the month of November run so fast just like one snap. Various events and unexpected situations happened. The family of ADRA Yemen lost a dear member who had been with ADRA for three years. +Minda Lagrimas passed away last November 14 with a tragic road accident. We dedicate this corner to her loyalty and commitment to ADRA Family. Also, in behalf of the family and friends of Nanay (Mother) Minda, we would like to express our gratitude to all your sympathy and prayers. Nanay Minda did not die in vain… she was one of the many unsung heroes of the Philippine Republic who keep the said country's GNP survives through dollar remmittances.

Life goes on, here in Hais, every day we have dialogue with different people, this time I want to introduce to you a teenager named Ahmed Dawood Muhadeen. He is 19 years old, the eldest in the family with 12 kins. He finished his secondary school and hoping to enter college. He love playing football and he helps his mother in looking after his younger brothers and sisters. Three months ago he was injured while playing football, he got unbearable pain for about week. His grandfather adviced him to dip his right arm in boiling water to relieve the pain. Without analyzing what will be the circumstances he did follow the advice of his grandfather, then he got third degree burn on his right arm. His mother brought him in Al Thawra Hospital in Sanaa for medical attention. His burn was given treatment but his broken bone was not attended. He came to ADRA Hais to seek advice and or assistance.

Mr. Abdullah Yassin our Project Coordinator assessed his arm, his bone has been dislocated and his five fingers need surgery. Temporarily, Ahmed was given Analgesic for his pain, and then he will be referred to an orthopedic Hospital in Hodeida for proper treatment and surgery. Sad to say at the moment our programme cannot afford to finance his surgery, Inshallah we will find away to assist him.

Let us also meet, Mohammad Dobalah, 7 years old, he spent his first year of life crawling because his two legs was paralyzed. He could not stand, he kept his hip and knees bent and his feet in a tip toes. Since then he developed contractures on hips, knees and ankles. His disability could not stop him from being sociable and happy child. Dobalah became popular in the office and in the nearby Commercial Bank with his attitude and his smiling face. He comes to our office to play and have interaction with our team. It is hard to say if he can walk; our therapist said that his contracture is advanced and old that is difficult to be corrected. His case may require gradual stretching with plaster cast, it will take some time and will be very uncomfortable and painful.

Of course our day won’t be complete without the visit of Sa’ad Yahjaa Sheaheel. She is very sweet and charming old lady. Her right eye is completely blind then her left eye has cataract. She always comes to the office to interact with our team. She is scheduled for eye diagnosis on December 22,2008 and we are hoping we can save her left eye.

Other event..........
Assistance to Physically Challenge Programme III, joined the programme exhibit organized by the YEMEN Forum of International NGO. The event was held at Sheraton Hotel last Nov. 24,2008. There were 24 INGO attended and participated the event. This will serve as entry point for ADRA Hais team to establish networking with different INGO working in Hodeida Governorate.

Dream Car:
The team did a canvass of different vehicle that will serve our patients in Hodeida. This requires a huge amount of money, but there is a saying if there;s will there’s a way. We in ADRA Hais hope to serve to the fullest our programme partners. Inshallah we can acquire the right vehicle for our programme recipients.

Financial Assistant - Hassan Mohammed

Hassan Mohammed is the Financial Assistant and the Human Resources Assistant for the ADRA Hais office

Hassan is a local Hais resident and has been an ADRA Hais team member for about 18 months. He has taken an expanding and responsible role as a “go to” person for most things that happen in the office. He has a young and energetic personality and nothing seems too difficult. He has keenly accepted the task of maintaining this ADRA Hais blog.

Hassan as the Financial Assistant is responsible for the tracking of the program funds, the comparison of budget with actual activity, petty cash activities and reporting to the Program Manager and the Finance Manager in Sana’a. He is also the Human Resources assistant and is involved with staff issues. In addition he also monitors the security of the office and staff activity. Another important role is that of translator since he has a good command of English and Marie Ann the Program Manager does not speak the local Arabic language.

Hassan is 29 and single although he intends to marry soon, InShallah! (If God pleases) and contrary to tradition he has chosen a partner, someone from the ADRA Hais office but he has not informed the family yet. We are looking forward to hearing some good news on a future blog.

At a college in Zabid near Hodeidah, Hassan studied English for 4 years and earned a BR Degree. He recognized at school that to get good employment he had to expand his language skill. In 2007 ADRA asked Hassan to attend a donor workshop as a translator and they were impressed with his skill such that ADRA offered Hassan the job of financial assistant. ADRA then sent Hassan to Hodeidah to learn computer skills. Over the past 18 months Hassan, through experience has been able to acquire the skills needed to do his job.

Hassan really enjoys his work at ADRA and his enthusiasm shows every day. The satisfaction from assisting disabled people gives Hassan the energy to advance. He would like to have more training and eventually rise with ADRA, to travel and to have different experiences investigating how others find solutions for their disabled.

ADRA Hais meets the Hais City Council

In a continuing partnership with the community the ADRA team met with the Hais City Council on 29th October and this photo shows the team outside the City Hall. Marie Ann Fernandez the program manager led the team accompanied with our financial assistant Hassan Mohamed, our program director Adbulai Yassin, and Paul Fish the ADRA visitor from Canada who advises local councils on the mobilization of local revenues.

The team initially sat down with Councilor Abdulai Khalil and with the Chief Administrator Mr. Salem Muhedeen. Hassan took on the important role of translator. Marie Ann explained the progress of the program in Hais providing services and skills training to the disabled. The Councilor acknowledged that the Hais community very much appreciated the program that ADRA was providing for their disabled. The Councilor expressed his fervent hopes that the program funded by Canadians would continue. The lack of local council funds meant that the ADRA services could not be undertaken by the community. Paul Fish commented that better local revenues might be mobilized from local businesses and those better off in the community. The Councilor and Chief Administrator were attentive and interested but at the moment they don’t have control over the levy of taxes. The administrator intends to take this up with the Regional Government in Hodeidah. He realises that the community needs to expand it’s services such as those that ADRA provides and for sustainability, the City of Hais needs to take on the ADRA services over the long term.

The ADRA team then met the Mayor of Hais in his chambers and Marie Ann paid the respects of ADRA and introduced the ADRA team. She talked to the Mayor about the disabled and ADRA’s work. In order to foster the awareness of the disabled to the community-at-large Marie Ann offered to put on a workshop about the ADRA program. The Mayor and Administrator were extremely pleased with the idea and offered the use of the City Hall. Everyone agreed to meet again on November 17th to discuss the agenda for the workshop.

The administration provided refreshments and we departed with a sense of goodwill and pleased in the knowledge that an important relationship with the community was being fostered.

Head of Physiotherapy - Rita Mohammed Okesh

Rita Mohammed Okesh
Head of Physiotherapy

Rita is a qualified and trained physiotherapist having graduated from a 3 year course from the Medical Health Institute in the Capital of Yemen, Sana’a. She has been working in the ADRA Hais clinic for 4 years and has a very active practice. The local hospital does not offer physiotherapy and Rita is the only therapist in the entire region. Rita ambitiously serves 309 patients in the Hais office and a further 200 in the smaller surrounding villages.

The most common of ailments Rita sees are forms of cerebral palsy and rheumatoid arthritis but she also treats other disabilities such as polio and general paralysis. Rita performs electro therapy, hydra therapy, physical exercises as well as rehabilitation such as stance, aqua balancing, nutrition, massage etc. The clinic has exercise equipment including bicycle, walking machine, stretching extender, parallel bars for walking, and ropes. Unfortunately all of this equipment appears very old, outdated and in disrepair. Patients need to use the equipment for exercises and this is a critical component of the physiotherapy program.

Rita who is 26 is the eldest of a traditional Hais family of 11 children and she still lives with her mother and father. Her father is a trained nurse in the local health unit and he has encouraged her to seek education and employment rather than to take the traditional life of marriage, children and homecare. Rita was overjoyed when at 19 years old and about to graduate, ADRA came to her school and selected her to be a recipient for physiotherapy training. She had hoped at school that she could have been a doctor for women and ADRA made this possible. Her father considers Rita a “daughter of ADRA”.

Equality for women is a strong passion for Rita who has been a major influence for others. Rita believes that education is the key for families to escape the vicious cycle of poverty and the attendant problems of health care. One of her sisters now attends a University near Hodeidah studying chemistry and other sisters will follow in her footsteps. Rita strongly believes that women can be equal with men and since women can perform all jobs, they should strive to have the same opportunities afforded to men.

Challenges faced by Rita are that the disabled accept her physiotherapy as a valid treatment. Most are more familiar with traditional medical treatments involving injection and tablets and are initially reluctant to accept new methods. Other people believe in the powers of magic that are still practiced in the Hais area. After 4 years in practice she has overcome this challenge and now patients even come to her house.

A greater challenge is that to be effective Rita really needs new equipment as well as a replacement for unserviceable and outdated equipment at the ADRA Hais clinic. New equipment such as ultra sound is needed as is an electronic stimulator for the nervous system.

Rita’s hopes for the future are to have a better centre for physiotherapy especially servicing the many more disabled people, focused on women and children. Rita believes in education awareness and she hopes to be able to promote this through her clinical practice. One dream she has is to complete her physiotherapy studies at a university and this can only be carried out away from Yemen for example in Egypt. Time and money are needed for this to occur.

Rita is so grateful for the opportunities that ADRA has given to her and in particular the special interest taken by the Country Director Nagi Khalil who has encouraged her to progress. She will not forget this kindness and commits to helping humanity and work for God (Allah). Rita’s main objective now is to help humanity and alleviate poverty through education, and in particular to support women’s issues and rights, health and livelihoods. Rita’s passion is for the community to find love in each other and for there to be equality between men and women.

Khocha - A village by the Red Sea

Khocha a small village west of Hais

Khocha is a larger village located on the coast of the Red Sea about 30 kms west of Hais and approachable by roads. The planning of buildings is similar to other villages where homes are arranged in small compounds of several buildings belonging to a single family. A compound is walled and forms a security and privacy for the family unit sharing a single water well and courtyard. Narrow alleys adjoin the compounds where the children play and the women with black abayas flowing, rush about their errands and scold the children. There is no running water or electricity. One forms the impression that this has progressed no further than biblical times.

Aziza Ayash is a young 20 year old girl who suffers from polio as well as a disturbing mental condition. Her mother explains that she has suffered like this since she had a fever when she was about 2 years old. Rita recognized that this patient needed a neurological specialist and arranged transport and an ADRA community based rehabilitation worker to accompany her to Taiz for this treatment, also paid for by ADRA. Since then Rita and other ADRA community based rehabilitation workers have visited weekly for exercises and massage treatment. Aziza says “I love Rita”. Meanwhile her mother Guma has benefitted from an ADRA micro finance loan to finance her shop where she sells biscuits and Pepsi. Guma says she hopes that ADRA will continue this wonderful contribution to her daughter’s life.

ADRA in a small village called Fash

Fash, a small village east of Hais


Fash is located about 5 kms east of Hais and has a population of about 7,000. The village is little more than a collection of mud buildings with thatch roofs and where poverty is obvious in the poor dress of the people. The men are typically fishing about 35 kms away and do not return at night. Thus the women have to look after the children and the aged. The women tend small farm animals and undertake some crop farming with vegetables. ADRA has been giving assistance to the village since 1995, with a range of benefits. A school was erected with ADRA assistance and this is now undergoing an expansion by the Government. A health centre was also erected again with ADRA assistance.

Several of the women were keen to share their experiences

Saedah is a 30 year old divorced mother with one child and who lives in the village of Fash. She was trained by Dina to use the sewing machine and she is able to sell locally in the village.

Hanan a married woman with 5 children is also a graduate of the sewing program. Her husband works in Aden and she supports her children alone for much of the time. She was previously a trainee with the immunization program carried out by ADRA several years ago. She has recently taken out a micro-finance loan of $50 to buy a female sheep and now the animal is pregnant.

Both Saedah and Hannan have now been trained by ADRA community based rehabilitation workers to do some health awareness instruction in the village. They both comment that ADRA has been very good for the women of FASH.

Salama Abdul is a young 20 year old who lives with her family of 8 and she still attends school. This is unusual since her father has allowed her to attend a local school with male teachers. Salama suffers from a disabled hand a long standing disability from when she was a small baby. The community based rehabilitation worker Fatma has worked with Salama for about 3 years with exercise and the use of a splint. Salama is now able to use the hand effectively enough to do some cooking and washing. She comments that if she is able to complete her schooling she would like to be a doctor for disabled people.

Physiotherapy Patient - Galib Ali Zahir

Physiotherapy Patient
of Abdulai
Oct 26 2008

Galib Ali Zahir
Male, 60 years old

Galib came to the clinic today as part of a regular routine treatment. He has suffered palsy to the left side of his body for about 12 months but 4 months ago he sought the treatment offered at ADRA. Abdulai has been giving exercises to the patient and has been giving instruction to Galib’s uncle and son so that exercises can be continued at home. Electro therapy treatment has also been given at ADRA and the patient needs about 2 more months of treatment. Abdulai reports that when Galib arrived at ADRA he had limited movement but now there is a marked improvement.

Galib was a farmer but now spends most of his time at home in Makbarr about 2 kms west of Hais. He is very thankful to ADRA for this opportunity to recover and to become a useful person at home for his family.

Abdulai recommends that this sort of palsy needs to be captured early in order to be more effective. More information is needed to be given to the community.

Physiotherapy patient treated by Rita

Physiotherapy patient
Of Rita
October 22nd

Ng’amah Talib Mee’amrah

Ng’amah came to ADRA in Hais about 6 months ago suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and complaining of extreme stiffness and swelling in the joints. She had difficulty walking and had spent a good deal of time in bed. Previous visits to the local hospital as well as in Hodeidah and in Sana’a had failed to provide relief and Ng’amah had even tried a witch or magician doctor. She heard from others about the benefits of the ADRA program and came to visit Rita who heads the ADRA physiotherapy clinic.

Rita gave Ng’amah daily or twice weekly electro therapy, massages an anti inflammatory crème, as well as some aqua balancing and gradually Ng’amah is beginning to walk and move her hands. She is very grateful.

Ng’amah is a single woman of 30 years living with her family and she wants to help her mother earn income by selling perfume. She has a sewing machine at home and has taken a course of learning from Dina.

Supervisor of Small Enterprise Development Loans - Salwa Abdu

Salwa Abdu
Supervisor of Small Enterprise Development Loans


Salwa is given the responsibility for the supervision and implementation of the SED lending activity. She supervises Fayzia and takes an active role in assessing the business prospects of the potential borrowers.

Salwa sees a significant advantage of the SED program since women especially those who are disabled, typically stay at home and could be more productive with the aid of a small loan. Women especially those in the villages, need the loans more since life is much more difficult and they need additional income since men do not provide sufficient money to feed the family and to buy their small needs. Loans are for small animals and even cattle, seeds for small scale farming as well as for sewing machines. Banks do not provide this type of lending to unsecured borrowers. In this way ADRA are providing an essential service.

Salwa was born in Saudi Arabia and schooled in Jeddah before returning to Hais with her parents who were originally from the area. Her father worked with a gold mining company and learned to speak English. He then taught Salwa to speak English and she is able to communicate effectively. Salwa is married and is in the early stages of a pregnancy – she says the only one. She is one of 10 sisters and brothers although 4 of her siblings have died through lack of vaccination

Salwa has seen changes in peoples lives in Hais since the inception of the ADRA program in 1996. She hopes that the ADRA Hais program will be continued.

Canadian visitor to ADRA in Hais

Paul Fish
Canadian visitor to ADRA in Hais

Paul is a first time visitor to Yemen at the personal invitation of Marie Ann Fernandez whom he met while working as a volunteer in Sierra Leone. Paul comes from Toronto and is en-route, returning to Sierra Leone for another 6 months of work. He is a Chartered Surveyor and volunteers some time with municipalities in developing countries to mobilise their own source revenues; largely property taxes and business taxes. http://www.paulinsierraleone.blogspot.com/

Here is a picture of Paul with Marie Anne and Rita on a trip to Hodeidah overlooking the Red Sea.

On his arrival in Hais, Marie Ann found Paul a useful job at ADRA, to create a newsletter for Canadian readers and others interested to follow the ADRA activities in Hais. Over the past 10 days Paul has looked at all of the activities carried out at the clinic and at the office and he has travelled to the villages of Fash and Khocha. He also accompanied many of the ADRA team to the nearby City of Hodeidah to search for suitable wheelchairs. In preparation for the newsletter Paul suggested creating a web log so that the ADRA office in Hais can keep in touch with it’s supporters in other parts of the world. Marie Ann agreed and so this new communication is started. Hassan the Financial Assistant is the ADRA Hais English translator and he has enthusiastically agreed to maintain the blog as frequently as possible.

Paul arrived in Sanna’a on a rest day, Saturday Oct 18 and even though he was not an official ADRA visitor he was greeted at the airport by the Country Director Nagi Khalil and Marie Ann. We all travelled back to Nagi’s home where a large brunch was served by his wife Lindy and their two children. The afternoon was spent touring and hiking through the surrounding spectacular hills around Sana’a and visiting a local hotel for traditional serving of coffee. The Yemeni reputation for friendliness is well earned.

Here is a picture of Paul and the hills near Sana'a

Vocational instructor for weaving - Hussein Hassan

Hussein Hassan
Vocational instructor for weaving

Hussein works under Dina giving vocational instruction, specifically weaving the cloth that is worn locally by both men and women. The cloth called a “Mactab” is used for skirt and head covering and is quite intricate and detailed, used everyday but importantly also for ceremonial purposes. The cloth is also used for furniture covering and other such purposes. The skill is valued in all of Yemen and there are jobs that graduates will find.

Hussein instructs 6 students, both male and female and one third of the students are disabled. The course lasts 6 months, requiring 3 hours per day and 4 times per week in order to graduate. ADRA has acquired 4 weaving machines for instruction but at the moment 1 machine requires repair. Hussein has been working with ADRA for 8 months and enjoys this opportunity.

To learn this detailed cultural art, Hussein recently graduated from a total of 12 months of varied training firstly in Zabid, then Beit Fakeh and then Hodeidah. He really enjoys his work and also takes some satisfaction from giving instruction in reading and writing skills.

Hussein is 25 years old and was born and raised in Hais. He is engaged to be married but still lives with his parents in Hais with his 9 brothers and sisters. He would like to have a different life from his parents and would like to have only 2 children and 1 wife.

Hussein’s ambition is to continue his full time weaving instruction and helping with others at ADRA. He sees great potential in giving vocational training so that students, in particular the disabled can find useful employment or even start a business. A weaving machine costs about $250 which is quite expensive but perhaps this might be considered for a small business loan.

ADRA is to be thanked for recognizing the importance of vocational training for local people in Hais where there is high unemployment. Hussein thanks the ADRA donors and hopes that the program will be continued.

Community Based Rehabilitation worker - Fatma Saleh

Fatma Saleh
Community Based Rehabilitation worker

Fatma works with people mainly in the communities surrounding Hais. She travels with patients who are referred to hospitals for treatment, in particular women, to protect and care for them. A large part of her responsibility is to raise awareness of health issues in the small communities. In addition to her CBR duties she also helps Rita in the physiotherapy clinic and in the field with documentation. Fatma also helps in the treatment and training room. Overall she tries to be useful to all in the office.

Fatma who heard of the ADRA program in 1999, immediately considered this such a valuable service to the community and saw an opportunity to start her work at ADRA at this time. She gives treatments such as exercises and massage under the direction of Rita. Fatma has been trained by ADRA in Sana’a for physiotherapy using a social fund. She also found it useful to attend a 1 week training course in sign language in the nearby city of Taiz. Later she attended a 3 week course in physiotherapy in Aden.

Awareness raising is important function for Fatma, focused on the causes and prevention of disability, a service she considers important for pregnant women. She teaches mothers how to deal with their disabled children’s issues and how to integrate these children into the community. Fatma also identifies those that need to be referred to hospitals for treatment.

Fatma was born in the village of Hodeid near Hais but now lives in Hais with her 4 siblings and mother. She is single and wants to marry a rich husband and inShallah to have 2 children.

Fatma’s ambition is to help build a centre for disabled in Hais. She hopes that ADRA will contune to support such causes since ADRA has done so much good. People generally have now changed their attitude to those with disabilities and Fatma sees a great success in this area.