Yemen Humanitarian Crisis

Living in a country where I have had everything spoonfed to me, ignorance was deemed, by myself, my most intricate quality. I had no worries, kept a bubble of my own space, and avoided and rejected all information that did not pertain to me or affect me. This ignorance grew into complacency, and up until my freshman year of high school, I had information thrown at all perspectives to me. I was unmotivated and unprepared to research information on my own. To educate myself and read information outside of school was a pointless decision that I veered against. Up until an eye-opening experience, I started to do better for myself. I started to take account of my actions and discover, learn, and educate myself for not only the betterment of myself but the betterment of my peers so they avoid falling into the same footsteps that I did. This year especially, I have been an active ally, participant, and researcher in all things happening everywhere in the world. If the internet is accessible to you, use it to do better for yourself. There are a million things happening around you, learn about them, talk about them, and educate others about them. Silence is the deadliest weapon, so use your voice and bring attention to those that cannot find adequate resources or information.

The Yemen humanitarian crisis has been one of my most researched topics lately, and I believe it is crucial and essential that everyone knows what is occurring in countries around us. Yemen is currently facing the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, and the U.S is staying silent. In 2017, Yemen was declared the world’s largest humanitarian disaster by the UN. This conflict has been occurring for five years, yet I am just now learning about this due to social media producing information about Yemen. More than 24 million people, or 80 percent of the population, are in need of humanitarian assistance. I want to remind you that half of the population in Yemen are kids 15 years old and younger. Sanitation, clean water, food, and necessary resources are lacking supplies. Within a pandemic, they are dealing with another one. Yemen has also been a spot for hosting over 280,000 refugees and asylum seekers.

Children in Yemen are getting robbed of necessary access to resources; the closing of schools and hospitals has caused disrupt access to education and health services, leaving these children hungry, malnourished, and vulnerable.

Yemen has been facing an on-going war with Saudi since 2015. Those with positions of power have been allowing and encouraging the use of weapons and the continuation of this war by sending weapons to Yemen. This crisis has caused devastation in the economy, destroyed civilian infrastructure, and hospitals to be bombed. People in Yemen are dying not solely because of famine, but also diseases such as cholera which leads to dehydration and death and now, the Coronavirus. Yemen has also experienced the largest cholera epidemic in the world; there are more than one million cholera cases since 2018 and 25 percent are associated with children. 

In April of 2020, Yemen was hit with a once-in-a-generation flood that affected more than 100,000 people, leaving thousands of people homeless and displaced. 

Support for the humanitarian response is less than a quarter funded, so I encourage you to read more, educate, share, and donate. I have linked a resource that I find immensely helpful, this carrd includes petitions, donation links, videos, and more. Please check it out and continue your search for compassion and knowledge, as ignorance is blatant complacency. 

Resources:

https://yemencrisis.carrd.co/

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Written by Kelly N. from Worcester, Massachusetts