Zabid A small town of 23,000 people with a big history. This town, with one of the oldest mosques in the world was once a great centre of islamic learning. It was described to me as being the Oxford of Yemen (although I suppose they meant Cambridge). Through a friend I was able to visit the great mosque, part of the university’s library containing books dating back 1500 years and the Imam’s castle. Although Zabid is threatened by a profusion of concrete buildings a dew dedicated Yemeni’s struggle, funded by the Social Welfare Fund, to protect this heritage.

Conditions in Harad are not easy, hot and dusty and prone to flash flooding. Even before the arrival of the displaced it was an area of high malnutrition, diarrhea and malaria. UNICEF has, with the government and NGO partners worked to provide education, clean water and nutrition services. On this mission I accompanied the WFP representative and visited food distributions. After five years of displacement we need to look for longer term and sustainable solutions.