With You, 2019 - Volume 1

Special Feature
Special Feature
THE FACES
OF YEMEN
The crisis in Yemen is entering its fourth year and more than 24
million people in Yemen are in dire need of assistance. Each one
of the statistics is a story of despair and survival. As we mark this
heart-breaking milestone, we take a look at some Yemenis who are
doing all that they can to survive and rebuild their lives in the midst
of the terrible conflict.
“We did not come to Korea for money or for better jobs. We
came because Korea is a safe country. We cannot return
now or even in the near future. If we return, we will die.”
Thousands of families have fled from their homes because of the
conflict in Yemen. One of them is Sami Al-baadani, who ended up in
Jeju Island in South Korea. When Sami arrived, he did not receive a
warm welcome in the small island. Yet, he found a friend in Ha Min
Kuyang, a South Korean refugee advocate.
Najiba,
Yemeni Mother of Two
“I ask Allah (God) to heal me and every patient from
this disease. But my disease and the disease of others
is not important. What’s important is the cancer (of
war) in this country to vanish…why should I care about
my cancer if the whole country has cancer?”
Najiba is a mother of two and used to live in the quiet village of Taizz. This
was until fighting broke out in her hometown that forced her to escape to
Sana’a. She was unable to find a safe place there and was left homeless.
Forcibly displaced persons, like Najiba, are more vulnerable to physical
and mental health problems and human trafficking.
Through the support of donors like you, UNHCR was able to provide
shelter assistance to thousands of IDPs, desperately in need of a home.
Ha Min opened the first Yemeni restaurant in Jeju Island, helped
provide jobs for Yemenis who lost everything, and advocated for
cultural exchange. Through these initiatives, the locals are able to
look beyond cultural differences.
Sami still misses his home, but through the support of Ha Min and
other locals, he is now able to find a safe place and
rebuild his life in safety and in dignity.
Salwa,
Yemeni Mother of Six
Sami,
Waiter at Wardah Restaurant
“I stepped outside to get some food and then they were hit by
a plane. When I went back to the house there was no one –
my children, my brothers, mother, nor husband… I fear for my
remaining children…I feel sorry to see them without food.”
In 2019, an estimated 3.3 million people are internally displaced in
Yemen. Salwa is one of them. She still remembers how her house blew
up and she barely escaped with her life. She was forced to flee to the
outskirts of Sana’a, the largest city in Yemen. Every day, Salwa struggles
to survive as food and water are extremely limited.
Internally displaced people like Salwa are often in need of basic
necessities - food, water, and clothing. They are also susceptible to
vulnerabilities and are in need of continued protection assistance.
“We didn’t know what it was but we thought we could
play with it. A minute or so after she picked it up, it
exploded. When I woke up, I was in the hospital.”
In 2017, Salah and his friend Kareema were herding sheep in a field
near their home when they found an unusual object. It exploded and
immediately killed Kareema and amputated Salah. Later in that year,
Salah with his sister and grandmother, were forced to flee their home
due to the conflict. His parents were left behind because they did not
want to leave their house and livestock.
Salah now lives in a makeshift shelter with his sister and
grandmother. They own nothing save for the clothes on their backs
and core-relief items that were delivered by UNHCR. Salah is one of
the millions of children who have been robbed of their childhood.
Salah,
Child from Yemen
“I wrote my children a will in case I didn’t make it.
I told them to learn and study hard.”
Ali was a family man and shopkeeper in Yemen. This all changed when
conflict broke out near their home. Ali and his wife contemplated fleeing via a
small raft with their children, but they were weary of the waves.
Rather than risk the lives of their children at sea, Ali and his wife made the
painful decision to leave their children behind. They left their children in the
mountains safe from shelling and war, while he and his wife took a small boat
to Italy where they almost lost their lives at sea.
He has not seen his children since then.
Ali is one of many who crossed continents and faced the most perilous
conditions in search of safety. Ali and thousands of refugees across the
globe are dreaming of the day that they are reunited with their families.
Ali,
Yemeni refugee to Italy
Families experience the crisis in Yemen in a multitude of ways, but they all know the struggle for survival. They are often
left with nothing. But with your continued support, we can provide them with safety and protection in their darkest hours.
Through the generosity of donors like you, we are able to help Ali, Salwa, Najiba, and Salah. Together, we can help them
rebuild their lives in safety and in dignity.
©UNHCR/ N. George, H. Hariri, B. Ahmed, S. Mantoo, UNHCR Yemen
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With You | Vol. 1, 2019
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