Fleeing war but fighting to survive in Yemen

Following four years of conflict, the people of Yemen are crying out for help and for peace. More than 14 million people are facing starvation, and an estimated 85,000 children have already died from extreme hunger. This is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today, and it must stop.

Ahmed worked as a farmer to support his 13 children, but then war came to his village. ‘The shelling and the airstrikes forced us to flee….’ says Ahmed. ‘There were only two choices: either to stay under [the] battles...or to flee’.

He and his family now live in tents in a graveyard – one of many makeshift camps for internally displaced people. Ahmed and his wife are doing all they can to care for their children amid the horror of this war. They risk gunfire to collect firewood and walk two hours for water, but food is scarce.

Sofi is another parent afraid for the life of her children, including tiny Afina* aged just seven months (pictured at the top of this story). Because Sofi didn’t get the nutrition she needed when she was pregnant, she couldn’t breastfeed Afina when she was born. She and her family are putting all their efforts into paying for baby milk, and have even borrowed money, but Afina remains malnourished.

In the short term, people in Yemen need urgent help to survive. In the long term, they need peace. Please pray for them, for Tearfund’s partner staff working to reach those in most need, and for increased action from those in power to see Yemen at peace.

A prayer for Yemen
Giver of Life,
Who hears the cries from Yemen;
Of mothers choosing between medicine or food,
Of parents grieving children lost to starvation,
Of those who have given up everything in hunger.
Hear our cries for hope, for change, for peace.

In your mercy,
Break political deadlocks,
Soften hardened hearts,
Change closed minds,
Open unhearing ears.
Let people come before power.
Let life be holy again.
Let your justice and peace
Shape the nation of Yemen,
And the lives of all people.
Amen

Thank you for your prayers. If you feel moved to give, you can donate to our Yemen appeal here.

*Name changed for security reasons.