Humanitarian Relief for Yemen

Dear friends of Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation – 

The need on the ground in Yemen continues to be great, and the response from the international community wholly insufficient. We have had to scale back the scope of our services in response to funding cuts, but we continue to do what we can to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen. 

On a positive note, YRRF’s work on food insecurity in Yemen was featured in Global WA’s Issue Campaign: Tackling Poverty in Yemen - Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation’s Resilience Initiatives. 

Between July and December 2023, we were able to accomplish the following: 

Addressing severe malnutrition 

This project serves children hospitalized for severe malnutrition in Aden, Lahj, Hajjaa, Almahweet, Hodeida and Alsokhna. YRRF provided an array of services to children experiencing extreme malnutrition, including training and food support for families, and others. YRRF supports around 600 children/month across Yemen. It is estimated that one in five children under the age of five are acutely malnourished in Yemen.

School bags and school supply distribution 

YRRF distributed 4,000 schoolbags filled with school supplies in several governorates across Yemen. 

Orphan support 

YRRF supports 600 orphans monthly across Yemen with funds that they use for their basic needs — food, shelter, educational expenses, and healthcare. 

Income Generation Projects 

Between October and December 2023, thanks to support from Zakat Foundation, YRRF distributed 360 sheep, 1,080 egg-laying hens, 120 roosters and covered vaccines and operating expenses. In all, 243 families, a little over 1,700 individuals, benefitted from this income generation project. 

YRRF provided for the supply and delivery of three sewing machines to three women YRRF also sponsored 20 women completing a midwifery 3-years training program  in areas with zero trained midwives – when these women graduate from the program, they will be able to provide critically needed maternal health services in their communities. 

Additionally 243 families in 8 areas in Yemen received sheep, goats and chicken to provide them the means to support their families, totaling 1722 members. The majority of the beneficiaries were women, a total of 146 households headed by women.  Each family received either 9 chickens and a roster or 3 sheep. We also provided feed and veterinary services. 

Medical and cash assistance 

YRRF provided financial support in four cases of medical need, and four cases of extreme financial need. 

Promoting Childhood Vaccination

The demise of the health system in Yemen has led to severe consequences on the health indicators for the population, and especially children.  Moreover, anti-vaccine rumors during COVID-19 led to fears of the vaccines.  The vaccination coverage in Yemen declined resulting in the emergence of vaccine preventable diseases outbreaks.  In 2022, 27% of children aged under 1 year were not immunized against measles and rubella.  Between January - September 2023, 42,400 children in Yemen had measles, and 514 died. Additionally, about 1400 diphtheria and 6000 whooping cough cases were reported. Finally, re-emergence of poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1), in 2020, and of poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), in 2021. In 2023, 928 suspected cases of acute flaccid paralysis, possibly due to poliovirus.

In response to these alarming issues, Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation, through a project funded by a Seattle based organization, started a campaign to increase awareness among the Yemeni public about the dangers of vaccine preventable diseases and promoting vaccination. We established social media channels (Safe Childhood) and developed vaccine education material that is specific to Yemen and takes into account the cultural norms. Please visit our social media handles to see our work.

Our wish for 2024 

We wish you and your families a happy holiday.  During this giving season, please consider a gift to the work we do on the ground in Yemen. You can make a tax-deductible donation anytime on our website or on our GlobalGiving page. On behalf of all of us at Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation, many happy holidays to you and yours. We hope that 2024 is a year of peace and prosperity globally. 

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