The Rotary-supported charity Aquabox has been helping to save lives in Yemen.
Humanitarian conditions are worsening in the Arabian Peninsula state which has been the backdrop for civil war for the past five years.
An estimated 100,000 people have been killed in what has been described as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, with around 24 million people dependent on aid to survive.
The conflict follows the decision of President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi fleeing to neighbouring Saudi Arabia in 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition of Arab nations intervened to defeat the Iran-backed Houthis.
And only last week, the United Nations’ Special Envoy for Yemen, told an emergency session of the Security Council that a recent upsurge in violence, following weeks of relative calm, had to end “before it’s too late”.
Aquabox is among a number of humanitarian agencies who are supplying aid to Yemen. Last week, a lorry load of water filters and emergency supplies were driven from the charity’s Derbyshire headquarters, bound for the country.
Last week, a lorry load of water filters and emergency supplies were driven from the charity’s Derbyshire headquarters, bound for the country.
Spokesperson Roz Adamson said that Aquabox was responding to reports of 3.3 million people now displaced, with a child dying every 10 minutes.
“Many of the deaths are due to preventable diseases, in particular, cholera,” she said.
“This water-borne disease is spread because of poor sanitation and contamination of drinking water.”
Each blue box sent to Yemen contains a water filter. This removes cholera and many other waterborne diseases from contaminated water supplies.
One filter can provide safe drinking water for a family of five or six over many months, and years, if needed.
In addition to the filter, each box is filled with other aid items selected to help families rebuild their lives.
Ros reported that the Aquabox filters in this container can supply safe drinking water for nearly 2,500 people. This was the charity’s third shipment to Yemen.
“The container is not shipped half full,” she added.
“The remaining space is filled with medical items such as wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs and crutches. These are provided by one of our partner charities, Jubilee Outreach Yorkshire.
“Yemen is a very difficult destination, but with extremely rewarding results.”
Aquabox is a Derbyshire-based, volunteer-led Rotary charity which has a true global reach. It relies totally on donations to support its work.
For more information, visit the Aquabox website
