What does it mean to be lucky in Yemen? Fadhl’s story
Islamic Relief is working in Yemen since 1998, delivering aid and developing long term sustainable programmes to help ease the plight of millions of Yemenis in the poorest nation within the Arab states. The escalation of the conflict since March 2015 has dramatically aggravated the protection crisis in which millions face risks to their safety and basic rights. Lives have been transformed forever. One such life is Fadhl.
Fadhl is an orphan, his father passed away in 2006 but he led a good life before the war. His brothers would provide for the family which consists of his mother and seven siblings. The war led them to a struggle to survive, they fled their home in 2015 and only return to a home with broken windows and the upper floor completely damaged. There is no hope to restore their home to its former comfort.
“We have only solar energy for lighting, we don’t use washing machines and don’t watch TV. The solar energy is barely enough for two hours after sunset, so we sleep early,” Fadhl tells us.
“My three eldest brothers work in a workshop and they struggle to provide us with the basic food we need. Sometimes they don’t have any work so they cannot help. They are married and they need to provide for their families as well as us.”
Fadhl was registered on to Islamic Relief’s Orphan Sponsorship Programme, this gives him and his mother a regular stipend the family which has become a lifeline to help meet their basic needs and ensure that the children are still able to go to school.
“If we did not receive help from Islamic Relief, I would have to stop studying and look for work to help my family. There are many children in the same situation, and some of them face worse conditions than me. Some children do not have food and they had to work, but I am lucky.”
For an orphan child in Yemen, your support empowers them to go to school and have basic necessities in order to survive this ongoing war. Children in your care consider themselves fortunate. Alhamdulillah.
Support an orphan for just R700 a month or R8400 a year and you can give them hope when all hope is lost.