Yemen

	Country representative in Sana'a:
	Abeer Al Absi
	Programme coordinator in London:
	David Tanner
	No. of development workers currently in post:
	6
	Progressio has working in Yemen since 1974.

Progressio has been working in Yemen since 1973, making us one of the longest established international agencies in the country.

Our early work focused on the lack of access to quality health services in the country. We placed experienced development workers (DWs) to work alongside traditional birth attendants, midwives, nurses and doctors as well as in district health offices, health clinics and hospitals building their knowledge and skills.

In the mid-1990s Progressio-Yemen began to work on issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. Since then we have been one of the lead agencies working alongside UNAIDS and the Yemen National AIDS Programme to raise awareness, and help break the silence, on HIV and AIDS. We have also played a key role in developing Voluntary Counselling and Testing centres.

In 2003 we began to focus on building the capacity of local NGOs, assigning DWs to work with local partner organisations representing a wide range of interests including women's and children's rights, the disabled, youth, refugees, as well as organisations working through livelihood projects, community health work, education and democratisation activities.

Challenges remain:

• Many local NGOs remain very much nascent organisations with staff lacking skills, knowledge and experience. This means that they are less successful at implementing projects to help local communities and in raising funds for long-term sustainability. Progressio will continue to place experienced DWs to build the skills, knowledge and capacity of a range of local NGOs.
• Rates of HIV infection are increasing in certain areas and amongst certain groups, while the level of stigma and discrimination towards those people living with HIV and AIDS is very high. Progressio DWs will continue to develop the skills of those working directly with people affected by HIV and AIDS and take a leading role in efforts to break the culture of ignorance, silence and fear around HIV and AIDS in Yemen.
• In 2007 Progressio plans to develop new partnerships in Yemen around the theme of sustainable environment, in particular to help address the problems raised by increasing demands on a scarce and precious resource - water.

Read more about our work:

Yemen - Country Programme Statement (77k Word)