![Zaid preparing the fishing net before his fishing trip
Zaid is an experienced fisherman; he was taught by his father how to fish when he was a little boy. But when the fighting hit Zaid's village in Hodeida two years ago, he took his seven children and his wife and fled to At-Tuhayta district. At-Tuhayta is not far from the frontlines, but it is safer than their home village.
Since Zaid fled his home, he has been working in At-Tuhaytah with some of his new neighbours to provide for his family. Zaid says he faces challenges in maintaining his fishing gear and boat, along with increased costs because of a fuel crisis caused by the war. “Sometimes everything we catch goes on fuel,” Zaid says. “To save on fuel we use paddles, but then we can’t go far out, to where the big fish are.”
Zaid’s wife also suffers from a mental disorder, leaving him torn between taking care of his family and making ends meet. “With my wife’s condition I stay at home to take care of the children. I give my wife her medicine, cook for the children and feed my baby girl,” Zaid explains. This makes it difficult for him to go on long journeys and to be able to catch enough fish.
To help fathers like Zaid stay on the water, the Norwegian Refugee Council [NRC] and the Yemen Humanitarian Fund provided fishermen in his area with a package of useful support. Everyone received life jackets and other equipment, and training on best fishing practices and how to navigate and stay safe at sea. They also received a small cash payment to help them through the tough times.
“NRC provided us with fishing nets and an icebox,” Zaid explains. “Before, we used sacks to store the fish we caught. We put some ice in plastic bags and put them with the fish. Now with icebox from NRC we can store the fish for much longer and go on longer fishing trips, without worrying the fish might go bad.”
“Thanks NRC for the support they gave us and thanks for the people who funded them,” Zaid adds.
Photo: Mahmoud Al-Filastini](/image/158495/%D9%A2%D9%A0%D9%A2%D9%A0%D9%A1%D9%A2%D9%A2%D9%A8%D9%A1%D9%A0%D9%A3%D9%A4%D9%A4%D9%A4_img_7230.jpg?width=768&height=513)
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