Nearly 20 million Yemenis – two thirds of the population – don’t know where their next meal is coming from, and millions more could starve if COVID-19 takes hold. WFP is rapidly scaling up operations to assist 12 million of the most vulnerable people.
Fleeing War: The Evolution of Hunger
April 2020
On April 10th, the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Yemen. With nearly all facets of the country's infrastructure in shambles, including health care, an outbreak could be devastating. WFP has rolled out prevention measures at its food distribution points to curb the spread.
Photo: WFP/Mohammed Awadh
June 2019
On June 3rd, WFP makes a breakthrough in rebel-held Nihm district for the first time since conflict began. By partnering with Islamic Relief, over 5,000 people receive a 2-month ration of life-saving aid. On June 20th, WFP is forced to suspend food distribution in Sana’a after negotiations stall on an agreement to prevent food diversion. Nutrition programs for malnourished children, pregnant and nursing mothers continue.
Photo: WFP/Fares Khoailed
May 2019
A WFP team visits the Red Sea Mills for the first time since September, when they were cut off due to heavy fighting. Days later, gunfire forces them away again. The silos contain enough grain to feed 3.7 million people for a month. Despite the obstruction, WFP continues to feed 10 million Yemenis every month.
Photo: WFP/Ahmed Basha
September 2018
Renewed fighting erupts in the vital port of Hodeidah, threatening food deliveries and pushing millions to the brink of famine.
Photo: WFP/Fares Khoailed
March 2018
WFP relaunches its school meals program for children in Yemen, now serving 600,000 students every month.
Photo: WFP/Micah Albert
January 2018
WFP makes plans to scale up its assistance to reach 8 million people every month who are severely hungry.
Photo: WFP/Fares Khoailed
November 2017
A military coalition of countries involved in the conflict starts a blockade of all of Yemen’s ports, further restricting vital supplies and food.
October 2017
An outbreak of cholera begins, becoming the fastest-growing outbreak ever.
Photo: WFP/Marco Frattini
March 2017
WFP says Yemen is in a "race against time" to prevent famine.
March 2015
The civil war begins in Yemen, pitting the government against Houthi rebels.
Photo: WFP/Ahmed Basha
Despite WFP’s efforts, one child in Yemen dies every 10 minutes due to preventable causes.
- 20M people are food insecure
- 3.2M women and children suffer from acute malnutrition
The World Food Programme is scaling up to feed as many as 12 million people in Yemen each month.
Domoaa
Domoaa means 'tears' in Arabic. "I cry every day for the pain and suffering we go through just to get food," her mother says.
Read Domoaa's story +
Amani
Two-year-old Amani was carried to a WFP feeding center by her 10-year-old brother. More than 2 million Yemeni children require treatment for acute malnutrition.
Read Amani's story +
Maika
Maika Alaslemy is the head nurse at a health center in Yemen and works around the clock to save children from starvation. “Hunger doesn’t differentiate between children,” she says. “We work out of our obligation to save lives and preserve the future of Yemen.”
Read Maika's story +scaling up operations
WFP uses smart, innovative solutions to reach and feed Yemeni families in need. These innovations include ships, mobile cranes, e-cards and mVAM.
Ships
WFP is the only U.N. agency with its own shipping unit, delivering food assistance through the Red Sea and into strategic Yemeni ports. Dedicated staff negotiate shipping lines and navigate tricky routes to keep cargo safe. A single ship can carry 25,000 tons of wheat, enough to feed 2 million people for a month.
Mobile cranes
Mobile cranes boost the capacity of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, which handles 70 percent of the country’s imports. This lifeline for families includes critically-needed food and humanitarian supplies. The cranes significantly increase the speed of unloading humanitarian cargo and other relief items.
Vouchers & eCards
When local markets are functioning and food is available, but unaffordable, food vouchers give Yemenis the power to purchase food on their own terms. They can be used at WFP food shops to buy fresh produce, fish and meat. E-cards work like debit cards, helping to stimulate the local economy and support local producers.
mVAM
In countries around the world and in Yemen, the mobile Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (mVAM) unit equips families with mobile phones so they can share information with WFP about their needs. Families call a hotline and WFP uses the information it collects to better plan assistance and track changes in food prices.
Help us realize a future beyond emergency assistance where our help is no longer needed.
Let’s build people’s knowledge, skills and resilience. Let’s invest in economic opportunities and sustainable food systems so that all Yemeni families can get the nutrition they need to reach their full potential.