In drought-prone Ja’awlah, Yemen, fresh vegetables used to be a rare sight. For Ahmed—a father of four displaced from Al-Dhale’e—rising food prices and dry, cracked soil made feeding his family an uphill battle.

“Determination alone could not feed a family of four children… all uprooted by conflict,” he says.

That began to change in March 2025, when ADRA Yemen and its partners introduced household hydroponic gardens to vulnerable families in the village. Using simple greenhouse structures, piping, and nutrient-rich water, hydroponics enables the growth of vegetables without soil and with minimal water usage. It’s a solution perfectly suited for Yemen’s harsh climate.

ADRA’s team didn’t just bring materials; they brought training, guidance, and hope. Working alongside each household, they helped families like Ahmed’s build their systems from scratch and learn how to care for their crops.

Within weeks, small green shoots began to appear. Before summer arrived, Ahmed’s greenhouse was producing tomatoes and leafy greens; enough to feed his family, sell the surplus, and share with neighbors who were still struggling.

“Now, the food we need is grown right at home,” Ahmed says with a smile. “We have enough for our family, and we share with our neighbors too. This greenhouse brought hope back to all of us.”

That hope is spreading quickly. Neighbors visit Ahmed’s greenhouse to learn how it works, and more families are adopting the same approach. Today, 13 other households in Ja’awlah are harvesting vegetables year-round and reducing their dependence on market prices and food aid.

Beyond the harvest, this project has restored something even more powerful thanks to donors’ generosity: a sense of self-sufficiency and optimism. In a place where drought and conflict once left little room for growth, these small hydroponic gardens are showing that resilience can take root anywhere.