As we begin 2022, we wanted to wrap up by summarizing our accomplishments for December 2021. The situation in Yemen remains dire. Earlier this week, tensions escalated in Yemen. For four days, most of Yemen was on Internet blackouts after air strikes damaged telecoms infrastructure in the city of Hodeida. We kindly ask that our donors add their voices to the advocates calling for peace. 

We will try our best to continue providing updates on our work in Yemen in January 2022 in the face of destruction of communication towers. In the meantime, read on below to learn more about how your donations helped Yemen in December 2021:

Distributing food in Yemen

During the month of December, we distributed 2,930 food baskets—benefiting 20,150 people. These distributions occurred in 25 districts across the country, including districts in Sana’a, Almahweet, Aljawf, Dhamar, Aden, Hodeida, Hajjah, Hadramout, Ibb, Raymah, Sada’a, and Taiz. The food distributions benefited all kinds of people, including families in need, school teachers, internally displaced persons, and families with special needs.

Supporting orphans in Yemen

According to a 2019 statistic, 1.2 million children in Yemen identify as orphans and only 5% are sponsored. Our orphan program provides sustainable support for families caring for orphans under 18 years of age. In December, we provided financial support to 908 orphans, used to meet their basic needs such as food, shelter, education, and healthcare.

Launching income-generating projects in Yemen

Beyond providing direct aid, in December we distributed 60 sheep to 20 families in need in the Sada’a area. Each family received 3 sheep. Our income generating projects aim to help families become self-reliant when almost three-quarters of Yemenis are now living in poverty and over 50% are experiencing food insecurity. In one of our projects, elderly women trained younger women in weaving which provided both groups of women with income generation activities. Check out the video below to learn more about our efforts (video is in Arabic).

Providing clean water to people in Yemen

Clean water in Yemen is critical; in fact, Yemenis face a higher risk of contracting water-borne diseases. In December we distributed 500 water filters and 1,000 water buckets to 500 families in need in the Sada’a area. We estimate that 3,500 people will benefit from this project.

Donating winter clothing in Yemen

As we have mentioned in the past, winters in the highlands of Yemen are very cold—with temperatures dipping to below 0 °C (32.0 °F). In many areas, temperatures go to –6 °C. Yemen has about 3.1M internally displaced people with no protection against severe temperatures, and most families in need lack the funds to purchase what they need to stay warm in the winter. For example, when children go to school, they lack adequate clothing to keep them warm. In December, we distributed 2,375 blankets and 2,300 pullovers to families in need across the country.

Donating medical equipment in Yemen

The healthcare system in Yemen has been devastated by war—making it difficult for people to seek medical care, especially given that many must choose between food or healthcare. In December we donated 35 medical supplies to Altahali Society for disabled girls in Sana’a. We also donated 5 boxes of medical equipment to Alamal Mental Health Hospital in Sana’a.

Supporting educational institutions in Yemen

Many schools and educational institutions in Yemen lack the funding to purchase necessary equipment. In December we supported the High Institute of Health Science by donating a 65-inch smart board necessary for educational classes.

Thanks for supporting our aid efforts in Yemen

Thanks to all our donors for the support. If you’d like to continue supporting our efforts, consider making a recurring $45 donation to support a family of 6 for one month.

Missed our recap of our August-November 2021 accomplishments? Read now. 

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