Yemen - Cholera.

SHARE THIS STORY DOWNLOAD PDF FIGHTING CHOLERA IN YEMEN: ‘MY DAUGHTER IS ALIVE AGAIN!’ Noor’s parents didn’t think she would make it. There was every chance she wouldn’t – particularly in Yemen today. Born into a family that couldn’t afford to pay for medicine, in a nation embattled and wounded by conflict, this was a terrible time for a four-year-old girl to have cholera. But thanks to the support of a Tearfund partner, her story took a different turn. Noor’s mother wept as she told us: ‘My daughter started to deteriorate in front of my eyes; it’s a painful feeling to see a part of your heart dying and there’s nothing you can do.’ According to the World Health Organisation there are over 880,000 cases of cholera in Yemen, and the outbreak has killed more than 2,100 people. It’s affecting 90 per cent of the country which has been mired in conflict for over two years, destroying much of its infrastructure and economy. Getting help Noor’s parents took her to Al Jumhory Hospital in Sana’a in a desperate attempt to save their daughter’s life. The hospital staff treated Noor with great care, under the supervision of a Tearfund partner. Our partner kitted out the hospital's Diarrhoea Treatment Centre (DTC) with new equipment and gave specialised staff training to ensure cholera patients were effectively and properly treated. In the DTC, Noor and her mother were asked to wash their hands with chlorine water, then their feet were sprayed to help prevent the spread of disease. They stayed for four days in the centre and, after treatment, Noor made a full recovery. Her mother expressed her gratitude: ‘I was very happy when I found that I don’t have to pay to cure my daughter as I have no money to do so. That helped me very much.’ A wider impact Project Health Promoters from our partner went with Noor’s father to his village to tell others about the dangers of cholera and what precautions they could take. They also trained villagers in hygiene practices including how to chlorinate drinking water. The hope is that saving Noor’s life will now save the lives of her parents as well, and hopefully the lives of the whole village. When she was told that they could leave the hospital, Noor’s mother couldn’t hide her joy: ‘My daughter is alive again!’ she exclaimed. Please pray (Note: please do not share these prayer points online) Thank God that Noor was able to get urgent medical help from a Tearfund partner and that her recovery has been a positive story amid great tragedy. Pray for our partners in Yemen who work in an extremely challenging context; pray for their health, strength and courage. Ask God to bring peace to this nation, so that its people can rebuild their lives and livelihoods. A note from... This is the largest cholera crisis ever reported, and it's been amazing to see how the humanitarian community has responded so swiftly and tirelessly. Many more lives would have been lost without this intervention. I am so happy we and our partners have played a part in this response. Megan Howe Programme Officer: Yemen

PRAYER POINTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Prayer Item #1 Praise God that the UK government is matching every donation given to our Match Giving Appeal between 1 November 2017 and 31 January 2018. Please pray for a great response to the appeal so that people in the Central African Republic and around the world can escape poverty. Prayer Item #2 Heavy rains have swelled the river in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The homes of some families living on the riverbank have been washed away. Please pray for the families that have lost everything due to the flooding, and for our partner, CASM, as they respond to this situation while keeping up with the daily tasks of their projects. Prayer Item #3 The influx of thousands of refugees from Myanmar into Bangladesh has had a huge impact on communities already living there, and in some cases this is leading to tensions. Please pray for all involved in this difficult situation, that compassion and understanding would prevail.