Review of 2024
The Forgotten Tragedy, currently the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, reflects a grim reality: more people are starving in Yemen than in almost any other country. For over nine years, a war has raged in the poorest Arab nation, leaving hardly any of its 30 million inhabitants untouched by loss. Nearly everyone has lost a family member or friend. Since the conflict began in 2015, a total of 380,000 people have been killed, most of them dying from war-related causes such as hunger and disease. Millions have been displaced. According to UNICEF, around two million children in Yemen are malnourished. In total, 17 million people lack access to adequate food supplies.
The war has destroyed large parts of Yemen’s infrastructure and economy. Moreover, political decisions repeatedly result in certain regions being deprived of humanitarian aid and food supplies.
Women and children suffer the most under these catastrophic conditions, as they are the most frequently affected by violence and abuse—especially when displaced. Children have no access to education because many schools in Yemen have been destroyed or remain closed.
Our deepest concern lies with the children, the most vulnerable among those suffering. For this reason, we are actively committed to supporting Yemen and providing assistance wherever possible.
In the following, we would like to share an overview of what the association Kinder Jemens in Not e.V. was able to achieve in 2024, thanks to your support.
In our December newsletter, we took the opportunity to share a heartfelt message from the children under our care. Despite the daily challenges they face, they remain full of hope, thanks to your solidarity and support.
Through education, healthcare, and sustainable projects, the children we support are experiencing positive changes in their lives.
The association operates in five districts: Taiz, Sanaa, Hudaydah, Dhamar, and Ibb. We are supported by 11 local helpers, including one female doctor and two male doctors. The association is active in various projects, which are outlined below:
Thanks to your generous support, we were able to sustain our efforts to help children in Yemen throughout 2024. Your contributions have played a crucial role in enabling us to continue saving lives and bringing hope.
Currently, three children in Sanaa are receiving urgently needed medical care.
Another child in Ibb is also under our care and undergoing medical treatment.
In Dhamar, thanks to your support, we are able to provide 17 children with special food packages to combat severe malnutrition.
In Hodeidah, we are providing intensive medical care to eight children until they make a full recovery.
In Taiz, we are providing focused care for a child who requires specialized support due to malnutrition.
2. From Street Children to Schoolchildren
For children in Yemen, access to education is far from guaranteed. Often, the need to contribute to the family’s livelihood directly conflicts with attending school.
Nevertheless, we want to contribute to ensuring that these children are not deprived of their development and education. The eagerness they show in learning is touching and admirable, especially given the challenging circumstances.
The importance of regular school attendance needs no further explanation, and the pride and gratitude are reflected in the children’s faces.
Our organization provides these children with a stable foundation for their future by supporting families with monthly food supplies and necessary school materials. Currently, we are supporting 34 children in Sana’a and 34 children in Ibb.
3. Individual sponsorships
Our sponsorship program gained significant support in 2021. Currently, 102 sponsorships are providing ongoing financial assistance to a total of 90 children. The monthly costs amount to approximately €80 per child, with no direct cash payments made to the children or their families.
Instead, the children receive the necessary school supplies, and their families are provided with monthly food packages. In cases where sponsors can only cover part of the monthly costs, the sponsorships are shared, or the association covers the remaining amount if needed.
When a hernia was diagnosed in one of the children we support, little Maedi, it was immediately clear that urgent action was needed. Dr. Aiham, who serves as both an association assistant and physician caring for our children, lovingly took care of Maedi.
We enrolled this girl in our malnourished children program over three years ago, and since then, Maedi has made remarkable progress.
But when Maedi suddenly experienced pain and the Salem family turned to Dr. Aiham for help, a hernia was diagnosed. For the family, it was impossible to afford the cost of a medical examination, let alone surgery. The prospect of watching their child suffer without being able to help was a heartbreaking burden for them.
In the photo, you can see Maedi with her little sister Milad as they receive the food basket for June 2024. As you can see in the pictures, Maedi is a very delicate girl. Acute illnesses like her hernia pose a dangerous threat to her small, fragile body.
Thanks to your financial support, we, the organization “Kinder Jemens in Not e.V.,” were able to quickly and decisively take the necessary medical steps to provide the funding for Maedi’s life-saving surgery.
Your donations made it possible for Maedi’s surgery to be a success, and she is now recovering well. Your help not only relieved her pain but also brought hope and joy to the Salem family’s life. Thanks to your support, we are able to respond quickly and compassionately to the needs of children in Yemen. We now hope that this little girl can continue her journey of healthy development and look forward to a bright future. The girl’s father would like to express his gratitude for your support. (Click here to watch the video).
Sadly, heartbreaking news is also part of our shared commitment. We mourn the loss of two of our young beneficiaries. Despite medical treatment and the best efforts of their attending doctors, the children were unable to gather the strength needed to overcome complications arising from severe malnutrition and pre-existing conditions.
Background Information on Projects 1-3
Through Projects 1–3, needy families receive food baskets in various ways. While the contents may vary slightly between families, essential staples such as flour, rice, cheese, powdered milk, pasta, beans, and cooking oil remain consistent. Prices and margins are negotiated between local vendors and our project management team at a wholesale market in Sana’a.
Our distribution process is based on personalized shopping vouchers, which preserve the dignity and individuality of the recipients while also preventing the misuse of donated funds. This ensures that the funds are used for their intended purpose. The direct beneficiaries are not only the supported children but also their siblings, bringing the total number of children benefiting to 338.
The current supply situation in Yemen is extremely dire and has further deteriorated due to blockades of roads, ports, and airports, ongoing conflicts, and the resulting massive price increases. The current cost of the monthly food baskets for our supported families fluctuates depending on supply conditions, ranging from €70 to €90.
Regardless of the project providing them with monthly food baskets, the families of the children would like to extend a heartfelt “THANK YOU” for your support.
4. The Thuraya Children’s Hospital
We have reported on the Thuraya Children’s Hospital several times before. After lengthy contract negotiations, we received approval from the local Authority for Health and Population on October 3, 2022, for the construction and operation of the facility. Originally, construction of the children’s hospital was planned to begin in 2022, but unfortunately, this could not be implemented. On January 8, 2023, the required land was officially transferred to our partner organization, “Yemen’s Children in Need.”
On September 1, 2023, we commenced construction of the “Thuraya Children’s Hospital.” The completion of the hospital will be carried out in three phases to maximize its benefit to the local population while aligning with incoming donations. The construction and operation of the Thuraya Children’s Hospital will be significantly more cost-effective compared to hospitals in developed countries, enabling our small non-profit organization to bring this project to life.
A detailed project plan and the current implementation status can be found on our website. (Please click here).
The Year 2024: A Year of Challenges and Change
The year 2024 has brought yet another period of significant changes and restrictions across various aspects of life. A war in the heart of Europe and substantial political shifts in the Middle East have shaped this year. Amid these crises, Germany has experienced energy shortages, inflation, and widespread concerns about the future, placing many citizens under increasing constraints.
These challenges underscore how abruptly life circumstances can change without one’s control, whether due to war or the interplay of natural disasters and political conflicts elsewhere. Children are always the most vulnerable in the face of such catastrophes and their devastating consequences. This makes it all the more important to provide assistance to those who need it most—and you are making this possible!
However, we also face several challenges: During the summer and autumn, Yemen experienced an acute liquidity crisis, as many banks were unable to provide sufficient cash. This impacted not only private individuals but also organizations like our partner association. To improve flexibility, our project manager on the ground, Ms. Seham Al Seedi, established additional banking connections to reduce dependency on a single bank.
Daily life in Yemen is marked by significant hardships, which also affect the work of our helpers. Roadblocks and checkpoints hinder movement, while a ban on photography in public buildings fosters an atmosphere of fear. Connections with the West are increasingly viewed with suspicion, complicating even bank transfers. On top of this, there are frequent power outages, shortages of basic goods, and recurring airstrikes in certain regions. Schools and other institutions often operate under improvised conditions, reflecting the difficult reality many people face.
Despite these adverse conditions, our volunteers and helpers in Yemen are doing incredible work—many of them on a voluntary basis, receiving only a small allowance for their efforts. Their dedication is indispensable, but we ensure they are not overburdened. In recent months, unsafe travel conditions have added extra stress. We have done everything possible to protect our team and avoid unnecessary risks so that their vital work on the ground could continue.
Despite the devastating proxy war being fought on the back of the poorest Arab nation, Yemen remains a fascinating country with warm and hospitable people who desperately hope for peace and a safe, better future for their children. Together, let us work to restore Yemen to its former glory as the happy “Arabia Felix.
We are a small organization, yet we strive to draw attention to the urgently needed aid for children in Yemen without extensive advertising campaigns. Our primary focus and commitment are that EVERY donation is used in FULL to benefit the children and families who urgently need help.
Here is the 2023 financial report.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who placed their trust in our work over the past year, supported us financially, and raised awareness of the plight of children in Yemen by sharing our donation appeals on social media with friends and acquaintances.
For the children we care for and the helpers of our partner organization in Yemen, we hope for an end to the wars and that your solidarity will ensure that the children of Yemen are not forgotten.
You can also support our work by becoming a member.
Become a member today. ( Click hier )
Our guiding principle:
Helping Yemen. Directly. On-site.
Humanity is not an impossibility.
Help us help and donate for the children of Yemen.
Every donation makes a difference for the children on-site. Children without hope are people without a future. Be the hope—donate now.
Important Note
The photos of the children are shared on our Facebook page, website, and in our newsletter with the consent of their families. Through these photos, they express their gratitude and showcase the positive changes made possible by your donations.
We refrain from publishing images of severely ill children under our care, as we believe showcasing the suffering of individual children for promotional purposes is ethically unacceptable. We are committed to focusing on saving lives without resorting to such images.