Realized on assignment for Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and National Geographic Magazine

A trip suspended in time to Yemen, whose landscape is a theatre of war between beauty and destruction, splendor and desolation.

The ongoing armed conflict in Yemen affected all aspects of social life, resulting in serious challenges for the provision of public services, such as waste management, electricity and water supply. The consequences for the environment are disastrous and are contributing to the deterioration of public health. The beauty of the scenery clashes visibly with the scars etched upon man-made structures. The jagged mountains looming up over inhabited areas, the rocky crags and the tremendous peaks, the ways through which nature articulates itself, seem to admonish people, as a reminder of the chaos that has been ravaging the country for almost 4 years now. The polluted wells and the infected water, last year alone, caused more than one million cases of diarrhea and cholera. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) hundreds of suspected cases of diphtheria have also been reported in Yemen, where the disease has re-emerged as the country’s health system has been weakened by ongoing war and a blockade on essential goods. Barricades of stones, garbage, makeshift shelters and collapsed buildings change the identity of the landscape, revealing and withholding at the same time, the signs of an invisible war. A documentation of the impact that the destruction of the environment is having on the country, nowadays on the brink of collapse.

A view of the city beyond a barricade of stones on top of a building in ruins, used by President Hadi’s coalition to fight off the Houthi rebels. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A view of the city beyond a barricade of stones on top of a building in ruins, used by President Hadi’s coalition to fight off the Houthi rebels. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
The remains of a school destroyed by a Saudi-led coalition air-strike. Currently two million school-age children are not enrolled in school. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
The remains of a school destroyed by a Saudi-led coalition air-strike. Currently two million school-age children are not enrolled in school. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Men and children are seen waiting in line to refill their gas cylinders while some cows are looking for food in rubbish bin. The purchasing power across Yemen is at its worst due to blockade, the lack of jobs and income against prices that have increased on average by 300% for food and 700-800% for gas and fuel. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Men and children are seen waiting in line to refill their gas cylinders while some cows are looking for food in rubbish bin. The purchasing power across Yemen is at its worst due to blockade, the lack of jobs and income against prices that have increased on average by 300% for food and 700-800% for gas and fuel. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A wrecked car in the vicinity of a village left unharmed by the conflict and located between Sana’a and Damar, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A wrecked car in the vicinity of a village left unharmed by the conflict and located between Sana’a and Damar, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A child pushes a tyre in the vicinity of a makeshift football field where some boys are seen playing. In the background are the remains of the Medina (old town), heavily damaged by the war. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A child pushes a tyre in the vicinity of a makeshift football field where some boys are seen playing. In the background are the remains of the Medina (old town), heavily damaged by the war. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A view of the city badly damaged by the war that has been ravaging the country for 4 years. According to the United Nations, the Yemen crisis has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A view of the city badly damaged by the war that has been ravaging the country for 4 years. According to the United Nations, the Yemen crisis has become the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A youth walks through the Damt District in the Dhale Governorate. Damt, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A youth walks through the Damt District in the Dhale Governorate. Damt, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
An internally displaced family living in a makeshift shelter in the vicinity of the Damt Hospital. Almost four years of war have set Yemen back decades. Over two million of internally displaced persons live with lack of public services such as electricity, water supply and transportation. Damt, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
An internally displaced family living in a makeshift shelter in the vicinity of the Damt Hospital. Almost four years of war have set Yemen back decades. Over two million of internally displaced persons live with lack of public services such as electricity, water supply and transportation. Damt, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A view of a village between Sana’a and Damar, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A view of a village between Sana’a and Damar, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A woman leads her sheep to graze while a man is seen carrying his charge of prickly pears along the street. Sana’a, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A woman leads her sheep to graze while a man is seen carrying his charge of prickly pears along the street. Sana’a, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Daily life scenes on the outskirts of the city center, damaged by the ongoing war that has been ravaging the country for 4 years. Sana’a, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Daily life scenes on the outskirts of the city center, damaged by the ongoing war that has been ravaging the country for 4 years. Sana’a, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A man is seen walking along a street in the city center during Friday pray. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A man is seen walking along a street in the city center during Friday pray. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Men gathered at the local stadium, are seen watching a football match. Life goes on despite the war that has been ravaging the country for 4 years. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Men gathered at the local stadium, are seen watching a football match. Life goes on despite the war that has been ravaging the country for 4 years. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Some buildings heavily damaged by the escalation of the conflict between the Shi’ite Houthi movement and its allies (also referred to as Ansar Allah) and President Hadi’s anti-Houthi coalition. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Some buildings heavily damaged by the escalation of the conflict between the Shi’ite Houthi movement and its allies (also referred to as Ansar Allah) and President Hadi’s anti-Houthi coalition. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A view, from a colored window, of the Kalashnikov monument that honors the commander who fought off the Houthi. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A view, from a colored window, of the Kalashnikov monument that honors the commander who fought off the Houthi. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
The ruins of a school destroyed by a Saudi-led coalition air strike. Hundreds of schools like this one in Ad Dhale have been destroyed by air strikes. Currently two million school-age children are not enrolled in school. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
The ruins of a school destroyed by a Saudi-led coalition air strike. Hundreds of schools like this one in Ad Dhale have been destroyed by air strikes. Currently two million school-age children are not enrolled in school. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A child is seen walking along a street surrounded by garbage, in the background some buildings are under construction. Due to the humanitarian crisis and collapsing social services, Yemeni people have to face increasing pollution of their wells and water contamination. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A child is seen walking along a street surrounded by garbage, in the background some buildings are under construction. Due to the humanitarian crisis and collapsing social services, Yemeni people have to face increasing pollution of their wells and water contamination. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A goat is seen among the garbage, in the background a view of the surrounding village. The ongoing war and a blockade on essential goods have caused the widespread disruption of markets and the provision of basic public services, such as waste management, electricity and water supply. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A goat is seen among the garbage, in the background a view of the surrounding village. The ongoing war and a blockade on essential goods have caused the widespread disruption of markets and the provision of basic public services, such as waste management, electricity and water supply. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Some men sitting on a wall during a football match. Life goes on despite the war that has been ravaging the country for 4 years. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Some men sitting on a wall during a football match. Life goes on despite the war that has been ravaging the country for 4 years. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
The gates of the Al-Nasser Hospital (in the center), where a notice regarding the ban on introducing knifes, bombs and weapons is hung outside. On the right, some goats are seen sleeping in front of the shops and the stands during the Friday pray. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
The gates of the Al-Nasser Hospital (in the center), where a notice regarding the ban on introducing knifes, bombs and weapons is hung outside. On the right, some goats are seen sleeping in front of the shops and the stands during the Friday pray. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Nurses and hygiene officers are seen inside a tent of the Diphtheria centre in the Al-Nasser Hospital. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) hundreds of suspected cases have been reported in Yemen, where the disease has re-emerged as the country's health system has been weakened by ongoing war and a blockade on essential goods. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Nurses and hygiene officers are seen inside a tent of the Diphtheria centre in the Al-Nasser Hospital. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) hundreds of suspected cases have been reported in Yemen, where the disease has re-emerged as the country’s health system has been weakened by ongoing war and a blockade on essential goods. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Some men are seen feeding a little monkey in the street while someone fills a jug with water from a fountain. According to the United Nations, the Yemen crisis has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis, around 20 million people are in need of protection and humanitarian assistance due to the lack of health services and supplies caused by the ongoing war and blockade. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
Some men are seen feeding a little monkey in the street while someone fills a jug with water from a fountain. According to the United Nations, the Yemen crisis has become the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, around 20 million people are in need of protection and humanitarian assistance due to the lack of health services and supplies caused by the ongoing war and blockade. Ad Dhale, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A child plays in the waiting area of the “Mother and Child” Hospital run by Doctors Without Borders, the only free health facility for 6 million people living in the Taiz governorate. Taiz, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli
A child plays in the waiting area of the “Mother and Child” Hospital run by Doctors Without Borders, the only free health facility for 6 million people living in the Taiz governorate. Taiz, Yemen 2018. © Matteo Bastianelli

YEMEN UNVEILED (2018)