If you are reading this, you probably take for granted that you have a functioning bathroom. The conflict in Yemen has caused innumerable hardships, and for some families this means not even having clean, safe places to wash.

The YES alumni community in Aden spent several months working together to make a small dent in this problem. They held a series of fundraising activities and were finally able to help a family living in a small shack without a bathroom.

Three outstanding young YES leaders - Mona Saif (YES 2013 - 2014, hosted by Ayusa in Peoria, AZ), Hamza Ali (YES 2013 - 2014, hosted by CIEE in Urbana, VA), and Mohammed Ibrahim (YES 2012 - 2013, hosted by AFS in Hudson, MI) - helped several other YES alumni conduct bake sales to raise the necessary funds. Mona, Mohammed, and Hamza purchased construction materials and toilet fittings, and they arranged with a handyman to start the building. This project required a lot of commitment, as the YES alumni monitored the work regularly until the bathroom was completed.

The mother of the family said, “We really appreciate the help provided to us by these young people. We don’t know how we could have built this if not for their help.”