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Ma’rib – When 29-year-old Mohammed left his home in Ethiopia on a perilous journey to Yemen, he had hoped he was on his way to a better life. Three months later, he found himself in a hospital in conflict-affected Ma’rib, where he was being treated for injuries from a treacherous explosion.

Devastated by poverty and instability in Ethiopia, Mohammed is one of some 27,000 migrants who arrived to Yemen last year. First, he transited through Somalia by foot for a month to reach the coast in Bossaso, where he boarded a boat to sail to Yemen.

“It was a hard two-day trip at sea, that was full of risks. We thought we would die. But it wasn’t as difficult for me as the month-long walk we took through Somalia was,” recalled Mohammed.

“After reaching Yemen, I thought the worst was over and that I would no longer have to walk for days on end.”

When he reached the shores Yemen, the difficult journey was far from over. He continued to walk for five more days, eventually arriving in Aden. Unable to find work in the city, he embarked on another long and risky journey north – walking and hitchhiking his way to Ma’rib City.

“I used to be a skilled welder in Ethiopia. When I arrived in Ma’rib, I offered my services and experience to a metal worker, and he hired me.”

One day, Mohammed was at the shop working when he was startled by a strong blast, and before he realized it, he fell hard to the ground.

It was a missile that hit a petrol station nearby, which caused a huge explosion. Many people died in that attack. Mohammed was among the injured.

“I could barely stand up. I knew that I was injured, but all I was thinking about is how I could escape from the area.”

“Driven by fear, I ran for six metres before falling again. I lost a lot of blood and was about to faint, so I asked the people around to take me to a hospital.”

Mohammed could not speak Arabic, but luckily, there were other Ethiopians around who helped him until a passerby rushed him to the hospital.

The hospital where Mohammed was taken to is supported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), where migrants like him can receive free medical care.

When Mohammed reached the hospital, he was unconscious. Fragments from the explosion had pierced his body. He was bleeding and suffering from cuts all over his body, and his leg was severely injured.

“Mohammed underwent an emergency surgery. After two days, he opened his eyes in the hospital with unbearable pain. He was sent to the operating room for two days,” said the doctor who treated him.

Mohammed stayed under observation in the hospital for two months, as he recovered physically and psychologically.

“I couldn’t move or sit up in bed. I was afraid of what was going to happen to me,” said Mohammed.

IOM's protection team followed his case closely on his road to recovery.

“We visit Mohammed and other migrant patients at this hospital frequently, providing them with cash assistance, food baskets, hygiene and dignity kits,” said Iman, a member of IOM’s protection team in Ma’rib.

“We ensure the medical services that migrants receive are sufficient and adequate to their needs and help them to overcome any language barriers,” she added.

Mohammed will need to undergo one more surgery to fully recover.

“My condition has improved, and I am sure that in a few days I will be back to my normal self soon,” added Mohammed.

“My biggest concern is my leg. I am worried that I won’t be able to walk as well as I used to.”

Despite what he has been through, Mohammed still hopes for a decent life where he can start a family and be happy.

“I want to be an independent, rich, and well-known man. I want to live in dignity as a free man.”

IOM’s protection work in Ma’rib is funded by the Government of Germany and European Union Humanitarian Aid (ECHO). In addition to referring and monitoring medical cases, the team also runs a Migrant Response Point which provides primary health care, psychological support, emergency shelter, food, water and protection services to migrants.

Through the support of the EU, Germany and other partners, IOM provided protection services to more than 41,700 migrants in Ma’irb last year.