The people of Yemen are facing unimaginable suffering. Since civil war broke out in 2015, more than 3,000 civilians have been killed. At least 700 were children. The total death toll stands at over 6,700.
Within Yemen, there are currently 2.5 million internally displaced persons, and 83% of the population desperately need humanitarian assistance, including food, clean water, shelter, medical attention, fuel, and sanitation.
Indiscriminate bombing and shelling has occurred, and civilian areas have been devastated. Yemen’s schools, hospitals and housing are rubble. Children pay the heaviest price in conflict situations, and a whole generation will now grow up with amputated limbs and deep psychological scars. Women and girls are being subjected to terrible abuses, including forced marriage and female genital mutilation.
The crisis in Yemen has not received equal news coverage to the situation in Syria, and consequently has not captured the public imagination in the same way. This means that it’s even more crucial that we open our hearts to the people of Yemen and refuse to turn our backs on their plight.
Before the 2015 conflict broke out, Yemen was already the poorest country in the Middle East, with 10 million people going hungry and 1 million acutely malnourished children. Now that the country has been plunged into ongoing civil war, Yemen stands on the brink of famine. The UN World Food Programme fears "an entire generation could be crippled by hunger”.
Military blockades mean that the prices of food, medicine and the fuel required to pump clean water have massively increased. Millions of families are struggling to find the basic necessities needed for survival, and the coming winter is sure to make a desperate situation even worse.
Yemen has a rich cultural history, and has been shaped by the influences of early civilisations, including that of Sheba. It is home to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and areas of incredible biodiversity and natural beauty. Algebra is also said to have originated in Yemen in the early 9th century.
But Yemen is being torn apart, and its people are living in a waking nightmare. Human Appeal is on the ground in Yemen, providing life-saving aid to those who need it most. We can only continue this work with the generous support of our donors. Please join us and show the people of Yemen that they are not forgotten.
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