From rural to urban, the attractive choice for Yemeni youth (Part 1) [Archives:2008/1200/Reportage]

Internal emigration from villages to cities is a global phenomenon. Especially with the development of long distance transportation and telecommunication that allows people to stay in touch despite the distances. Migdad Mojali investigates this phenomenon in a three part series researching why youth travel to the cities, how this has hanged them and what happens to their farms and families back home in the countryside.



YT Photos by Amira Al-Sharif



During the past two decades cities, especially Sana'a, witnessed a large influx of youth coming from the country side seeking employment and better opportunities as well as the glamour of living in the capital city. According to official statistics, around one third of the two million inhabitants of Sana'a are temporary residents who come from the outskirts and villages from all around the country for work or education. This fact becomes quite visible during holidays and summer vacations as most of these immigrants return to their home in the villages leaving the main streets of Sana'a rater deserted.

The most prominent motives for rural youths to immigrate from their villages into cities is the shortage of water and population growth. In many districts of Yemen water has started to diminish since the late 1980s and caused drought in lands. As a result, people were compelled to decrease the farmed areas which led to a decrease in the family income and obliged youths to look for job opportunities in cities.

Khalid Naser Al-Hamdani left for Sana'a city when he found that the income of their lands hadn't become enough for the whole family due to the drought that has befallen their district since seven years. \”I left my village and family to work here and be able to provide my family with their needs.

If I stay in my village and depend on the sources of my land