1. PROGRAM OVERVIEW & CONTEXT

In 2025, Yemen’s education sector continues to face significant challenges, with years of conflict, economic decline, and climate-related shocks undermining access to quality learning. Vulnerable children, including those from low-income households, displaced families, returnees, and children with disabilities, face particular barriers to attending school. The widespread deterioration of school infrastructure, combined with recurrent floods, landslides, and other climate hazards in governorates such as Ad Dali’, Taizz, and Marib, has disrupted learning and damaged educational facilities, limiting opportunities for safe and inclusive education.

Sustainable and development-focused interventions are therefore essential to restore and strengthen Yemen’s education system. By rehabilitating and constructing schools and learning spaces, equipping classrooms with furniture, teaching aids, and technology, and supporting teacher training and professional development, education programs aim to provide long-term, equitable, and resilient learning opportunities. These initiatives not only improve immediate access to education but also build the capacity of communities and the education system, fostering continuity of learning, inclusive schooling, and sustainable outcomes for children and youth across Yemen.

The Issue: The Challenge We Face

Years of protracted conflict, economic collapse, and recurring climate-related emergencies have severely disrupted education in Yemen, leaving millions of children without safe and quality learning opportunities. Thousands of schools have been damaged, destroyed, or repurposed as shelters for displaced families or for non-educational uses, while those that remain operational often lack basic facilities, learning materials, and qualified teachers. Education has become inaccessible for many, particularly in conflict-affected areas, for displaced children, and for those in vulnerable host communities.

Currently, over two million school-aged children are out of school, and millions more attend irregularly or receive poor-quality education. Teachers frequently face delayed or unpaid salaries, resulting in high absenteeism and attrition, which undermines learning continuity. Children learning in unsafe or overcrowded environments are exposed to protection risks, including harassment, exploitation, and the negative effects of psychosocial stress. The Education Cluster in Yemen prioritizes interventions to restore access to safe, inclusive, and quality education, provide essential learning materials, rehabilitate damaged classrooms, support teacher incentives, and address the specific needs of vulnerable and displaced children to ensure continuity of learning and protection.

Our Approach: Goals & Objectives

Our Goal: To provide safe and equitable access to quality education for every child in Yemen, enabling learning, protection, and hope for the future.

Main Objective: To enhance access to quality, inclusive, and sustainable education for all children and youth in Yemen, promoting lifelong learning, resilience, and long-term development of education systems.

Our Objectives:

• Objective 1: To strengthen equitable, inclusive, and resilient education systems in Yemen by improving access to quality learning opportunities, building the capacity of schools and teachers, and fostering sustainable, safe, and protective learning environments that support long-term educational outcomes for all children and youth, including the most vulnerable and marginalized.

Who We Help: Target Beneficiaries

Pure Hands’ development-focused education programs prioritize children and youth whose learning has been disrupted by conflict and crises, in line with Education Cluster Yemen priorities. This includes out-of-school children, particularly girls, students from low-income households who cannot afford school supplies, and displaced children living in IDP camps or host communities. Programs also focus on children with disabilities requiring inclusive education support, returnee students, and those attending schools lacking basic facilities, teaching materials, or qualified teachers.

By targeting these groups, development programs aim not only to restore access to education but also to strengthen the quality and sustainability of learning. Interventions include rehabilitating and constructing safe and inclusive classrooms, providing furniture, teaching aids, and educational technology, and supporting teacher training, professional development, and incentives. These efforts address systemic barriers to attendance, retention, and learning outcomes, contributing to long-term, equitable, and resilient education opportunities for all children and youth.

2. PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION & ACHIEVEMENTS

Pure Hands implements its development and sustainable education programs through a comprehensive approach aimed at strengthening the long-term capacity and resilience of Yemen’s education system. Key interventions include equipping schools with furniture, teaching aids, and educational technology to enhance learning quality; supporting teacher training, professional development, and incentives to improve teaching effectiveness and retention; and rehabilitating or constructing classrooms and latrine units that are safe, gender-sensitive, and disability-compliant, creating inclusive and protective learning environments.

These interventions prioritize equitable access for all children and youth, including out-of-school children, returnees, and children with disabilities. Guided by principles of equity, inclusion, and sustainability, Pure Hands contributes to strengthening education infrastructure, improving community engagement in schooling, promoting safe and inclusive learning, and building resilience in the education system to support long-term quality and sustainability.

What We Do: Our Key Activities

• Equipping schools with furniture, teaching aids, and educational technology.

• Supporting teacher training, teacher incentives, and professional development programs.

• Rehabilitating & constructing classrooms / latrine units, gender-sensitive & disability-compliant to create safe learning environments.

By the Numbers: Our Impact (2013-2025)

Gender Breakdown

• Men: 48,982

• Women: 55,666

• Boys: 52,350

• Girls: 56,430

Sector-Specific Achievements

• Students Supported: 108,780 individuals.

• Schools Assisted: Multiple Schools.

• Educational Scholarships Provided: Especially for girls.