Yemen: Stories behind the numbers of the conflict
Zamzam MurshedZamzam and her three children are displaced. They have taken up residence in her old father’s tent. In the absence of a breadwinner, their living conditions are very hard. “My husband left eight months ago to take part in the fighting. There has been no news of him since. I hope he is still alive,” she says. She adds: “My dreams are modest; I dream of a peaceful life. I dream of going back home."
Zamzam MurshedZamzam and her three children are displaced. They have taken up residence in her old father’s tent. In the absence of a breadwinner, their living conditions are very hard. “My husband left eight months ago to take part in the fighting. There has been no news of him since. I hope he is still alive,” she says. She adds: “My dreams are modest; I dream of a peaceful life. I dream of going back home."CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Zamzam MurshedZamzam and her three children are displaced. They have taken up residence in her old father’s tent. In the absence of a breadwinner, their living conditions are very hard. “My husband left eight months ago to take part in the fighting. There has been no news of him since. I hope he is still alive,” she says. She adds: “My dreams are modest; I dream of a peaceful life. I dream of going back home."CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Soria YehiaSoria is a six-year-old girl from Yemen. She fled her home together with her family. “I managed to bring along one of my toys. But I don’t know the fate of my other toys,” she says innocently. Her brother has installed a handmade swing for her to play with outside the tent. “I love the swing. I would also love to have a bag full of coloured pencils and drawing books. My father has promised to buy me that when we go back home.”CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Soria YehiaSoria is a six-year-old girl from Yemen. She fled her home together with her family. “I managed to bring along one of my toys. But I don’t know the fate of my other toys,” she says innocently. Her brother has installed a handmade swing for her to play with outside the tent. “I love the swing. I would also love to have a bag full of coloured pencils and drawing books. My father has promised to buy me that when we go back home.”CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Soria YehiaSoria is a six-year-old girl from Yemen. She fled her home together with her family. “I managed to bring along one of my toys. But I don’t know the fate of my other toys,” she says innocently. Her brother has installed a handmade swing for her to play with outside the tent. “I love the swing. I would also love to have a bag full of coloured pencils and drawing books. My father has promised to buy me that when we go back home.”CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Yehia HizamYahia Hizam fled his home as the fighting approached, to ensure the safety of his children. “I am unemployed and my large family is a financial burden. Our life is very difficult at the moment.” He explains that he tries to keep busy with various outdoor jobs and physical work. “I keep wondering what might come and what I can do for my children to make things easier for them.”CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Yehia HizamYahia Hizam fled his home as the fighting approached, to ensure the safety of his children. “I am unemployed and my large family is a financial burden. Our life is very difficult at the moment.” He explains that he tries to keep busy with various outdoor jobs and physical work. “I keep wondering what might come and what I can do for my children to make things easier for them.”CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Yehia HizamYahia Hizam fled his home as the fighting approached, to ensure the safety of his children. “I am unemployed and my large family is a financial burden. Our life is very difficult at the moment.” He explains that he tries to keep busy with various outdoor jobs and physical work. “I keep wondering what might come and what I can do for my children to make things easier for them.”CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Ahmed AliAhmad has just arrived home with a bag of Kudam, a local Yemeni bread. His dry lips tell of his fatigue and the difficult life he leads. He earns a pittance working as a cobbler. “I keep hoping we can soon go back to our home town and the peaceful lives we used to lead. Life here is very difficult. There is no water, no food, no medicine, and no stability,” he says.CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Ahmed AliAhmad has just arrived home with a bag of Kudam, a local Yemeni bread. His dry lips tell of his fatigue and the difficult life he leads. He earns a pittance working as a cobbler. “I keep hoping we can soon go back to our home town and the peaceful lives we used to lead. Life here is very difficult. There is no water, no food, no medicine, and no stability,” he says.CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Ahmed AliAhmad has just arrived home with a bag of Kudam, a local Yemeni bread. His dry lips tell of his fatigue and the difficult life he leads. He earns a pittance working as a cobbler. “I keep hoping we can soon go back to our home town and the peaceful lives we used to lead. Life here is very difficult. There is no water, no food, no medicine, and no stability,” he says.CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Damaj HamedDamaj is 12 years old. He fled his home together with his family as the fighting grew fiercer in their area. “I don’t want to remember that horrible day. I dream of going back to school. I want to play with my friends. I miss my home,” he says. “But till we return, I will keep playing with my brothers and sisters and helping my mother with the household work.”CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Damaj HamedDamaj is 12 years old. He fled his home together with his family as the fighting grew fiercer in their area. “I don’t want to remember that horrible day. I dream of going back to school. I want to play with my friends. I miss my home,” he says. “But till we return, I will keep playing with my brothers and sisters and helping my mother with the household work.”CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Damaj HamedDamaj is 12 years old. He fled his home together with his family as the fighting grew fiercer in their area. “I don’t want to remember that horrible day. I dream of going back to school. I want to play with my friends. I miss my home,” he says. “But till we return, I will keep playing with my brothers and sisters and helping my mother with the household work.”CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Zahra FareaaZahra Farea used to live in a shanty town near the Yemeni-Saudi border. As the fighting intensified, her home was hit. She lost her husband and sons in a split second. “I walked barefoot for hours in search of safety that day. I didn’t even have a chance to bury my husband and sons. It was a horrible day,” she says with a sigh. “My life is not that much better today. I live in this tent all alone. No family, no money and no personal belongings.”CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Zahra FareaaZahra Farea used to live in a shanty town near the Yemeni-Saudi border. As the fighting intensified, her home was hit. She lost her husband and sons in a split second. “I walked barefoot for hours in search of safety that day. I didn’t even have a chance to bury my husband and sons. It was a horrible day,” she says with a sigh. “My life is not that much better today. I live in this tent all alone. No family, no money and no personal belongings.”CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Zahra FareaaZahra Farea used to live in a shanty town near the Yemeni-Saudi border. As the fighting intensified, her home was hit. She lost her husband and sons in a split second. “I walked barefoot for hours in search of safety that day. I didn’t even have a chance to bury my husband and sons. It was a horrible day,” she says with a sigh. “My life is not that much better today. I live in this tent all alone. No family, no money and no personal belongings.”CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Mohammed Yaseen
Eighteen months into the conflict in Yemen, three million people have been forced to leave their homes as a result of fighting and insecurity. At times these people regrettably make up mere numbers and statistics in news headlines.
But behind the numbers of the conflict, there are real stories of real people who have dreams, hopes and aspirations even amidst the most difficult of circumstances. This photo gallery introduces us to some of them. They invite us in to their temporary homes and open up on their thoughts and dreams.
To help support those displaced in Yemen, the ICRC has provided food and essential household items to more than 400,000 people across the country so far in 2016. We also launched projects to help displaced people earn a living.
