Cash Aid Helps Thousands of Displaced Families Send Their Children Back to School

Ma’rib - Taibah lived a decent life with her husband and ten children in her nice house in Al Hodeidah governorate until the fierce clashes took all they had and forced them to flee leave to Raghwan in Ma’rib nearly two years ago.

“Al Hodeidah was our home, and where we felt the most comfortable, but that is all gone. Now there is nothing left for us there expect gunfire and hardship,” explained Taibah, a 47-year-old mother of seven daughters and three sons.

But the war did not stop chasing Taibah’s family…

Soon after they fled to  Raghwan in Mar’ib government, armed clashes started near their new home, and the family had to flee once again, carrying nothing with them but some of their clothes.

The family was displaced again, this time to  Ma’rib City, and settled in a fragile shelter made of hay.

Finding a safe shelter was only the beginning of a hard, cruel life that Taibah and her family had to bear along with nearly one million other families currently displaced in Ma’rib governorate.

With no source of income, the family’s eldest son, 19-year-old Ahmed, had to quit school and work with his father in a farm for daily wages to provide for their big family.

Ahmed believes that with no education, a person’s chances of a good life disappear. That is why he is so determined to help his young brothers and sisters continue their studies.

“We don’t mind staying without food for a few days, as long as my brothers and sisters can use the money we earn to go to school,” explained Ahmed.

But the family has five children who go to school, which exceeds what the family can afford.

To help Taibah’s family as well as other 385 displaced families in Ma’rib, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF) provided immediate, lifesaving emergency assistance of multi-purpose cash to people in need in Ma’rib.

IOM’s cash distribution in August coincides with the start of the new school year, allowing many families the chance to bring their children back to school.

“With this cash, I will pay the fees to enroll my children in school,” explained Taibah, feeling a bit of relief.

Taibah was able to pay for her five children’s school expenses and tools as well as food items that help them get by for some time.

This assistance aims to reduce the hardship of people in Yemen who are newly-displaced, affected by disasters or stranded as a result of COVID-19. The IOM-YHF partnership has reached 5,300 families with cash assistance so far in 2021.

Written by Elham Al Oqaby and Mennatallah Homaid IOM Yemen’s Communication Assistant