Early in 2015, rebel fighters seized control of Yemen, ousting President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi. In March of that year, ISIS claimed responsibility for 2 bombings; Saudi airstrikes against the rebel forces began; Yemen, already on the brink of instability, was now at war.
One year on, the UN’s aid chief warns that Yemen is on the verge of a ‘humanitarian catastrophe’. According to the UN, 4 in 5 residents of Yemen require humanitarian protection or assistance. A country that already ranked in the top three countries in the world for chronic malnourishment in children under 5 years of age (over 50%), Yemen is now facing further risk of severe and acute malnutrition for young children. Half the population is unable to put enough food on their tables; over 20 million don’t have drinkable water; and 15.2 million people lack access to basic health care (UNHCR). As a result, otherwise preventable diseases, including dengue fever, polio and acute diarrhea are spreading. Fuel prices have soared since the escalation of the conflict in March 2015, compounding the food, water and health challenges faced by the people of Yemen (SEMC Report, Nov 2015).
Over the past year, 121 000 Yemenis have fled the country, yet many still remain. An estimated 2.7 million Yemeni citizens have been forced to leave their homes and are now internally displaced. We have a tremendous opportunity to prevent Yemen from becoming the next Syria by intervening now, while many Yemenis are still in their homeland.
Even with the escalation in violence and instability, Operation Mercy continued most of its projects through mid 2015 and has successfully continued poverty reduction through transformational community development.
Now, with national Operation Mercy staff and partners on the ground, we can make a difference in this time of extreme need and show the Yemeni people that they are not forgotten. We can do something about this, one family at a time.
Funds are needed urgently so that we can provide food, safe water, and hygiene supplies - items that can mean the difference between life and death in this dire humanitarian crisis. Families who have not received services at all since the start of the war will receive priority status, as will female-headed households, those with disabilities, pregnant women, homes with children under two, and widows.
Purchasing through local markets, we can provide one life-saving food basket that provides 60% of the monthly requirement for a family of 7, for approximately $80 USD. For approximately $35 USD we can provide a family with drinking water ration cards, allowing them to purchase 20L of safe water each day for a month.
Together we can restore hope, fill urgent need and save lives. Please click on the Donate Now button and help us help parents provide the basic necessities for their families.
