Al-Huda neighborhood in the District of Rada’a, Governorate of al-Baidha, have been suffering until recently from a polluted environment - the alleys were full of heaps of garbage and unsanitary conditions caused by overflow of sewerage water.

The envi-ronment in the neighborhood was a fertile ground for infestations of pests and disease carrying insects, to the point that it recently saw outbreaks of cholera and malaria.

The accumulation of waste and garbage forming big heaps also obstructed traffic and prevented water-tankers from using the alleys to deliver water to those who need it. Al-Huda neighborhood effectively became an inhospitable and highly contagious environ-ment.

Cholera

Ali al-Azani, a resident in the neighborhood, said tens of cholera cases were reported, especially amongst IDPs, but also within elderly and children groups. As a result of the miserable environmental conditions caused by heaps of garbage, spread of pests, and overflow of waste water, the situation became unbearable during the rainy season. Streets become swamps of waste and rain water, and foul odors emissions reached every home in the area.

A Model Neighborhood

After the intervention by the PWP to pave al-Huda neighborhood in two-stages, the sit-uation in the neighborhood has changed drastically. The neighborhood has become a success story that people have started talking about, says Mohamed al-Mushiki. The garbage heaps that filled the alleys and streets of the neighborhood have disappeared, the health situation of the residents has improved, infectious diseases - such as malaria and cholera – have all but vanished. People can now move about the neighborhood easi-ly and freely, with streets connected together facilitating traffic movement, especially for water tankers, to navigate the neighborhood - a far cry from what it was like in the past.