Psychosocial Support Helps Migrant Overcome Distress in Yemen

Aden - Traveling outside of one’s land – whether to find better opportunities, education or work   – is part of many people’s human experience. However, the inhumane challenges that migrants endure while transiting through war-torn Yemen are anything but normal.  

From the perilous sea journey which often involves being held and abused by smugglers, to walking for weeks without food or shelter to facing death and injury: migrants endure grave human rights violations while traveling on the Eastern Corridor.  

"I was told that travelling to Yemen would allow me to reach the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but they didn't warn me about the hell I would face during the journey," recalled Abdii*, a 19-year-old Ethiopian migrant who took the journey to Yemen. 

After three harsh days in the middle of the sea, Abdii and the other migrants who travelled with him on the same boat reached Yemeni shores in Lahj governorate. 

“While on the boat, I heard horrifying stories about trafficking yards and how dangerous they are,” he added. 

Upon landing on the coast, the young man thought he was lucky for not being taken to one of the notorious trafficking yards where abuse toward newly-arrived migrants is common. 

Instead, Abdii and a few fellow migrants walked towards Lahj city in search of food and shelter, and later got a ride to Aden. During their journey, they were ambushed by robbers who demanded money. He had nothing to give and was severely beaten. 

"The last thing I remember was being beaten by heavy sticks. It was so painful that I couldn't even move a muscle.” 

Passersbys found Abdii unconscious on the roadside and rushed him to a centre run by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Aden where he received first aid care and a physical examination. He was in a critical state with signs of mental distress, and IOM’s medical team transferred him to a public hospital to receive proper medical care. 

"I woke up and found myself in a hospital. I didn’t know how or when I got there.” 

After receiving the physical treatment that he needed, Abdii began to receive mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) from IOM counsellors to help him cope with the effects of the attack. 

Abdii suffered from mental distress even before he made this journey.  He was receiving treatment back home, but during his journey, he ran out of medicine which further aggravated his mental well-being.  

After a thorough diagnosis, it was clear to doctors that Abdii was suffering from depression, hallucinations and other mental health challenges. 

“Thankfully, after five months of community-based care both his mental and physical situation greatly improved,” explained Dr Dawood, IOM’s Psychiatrist at the Migrant Response Point in Aden. 

“Nothing is more rewarding than helping youth, especially those who are away from home,” added Manal Salmeen, an IOM psychologist who supports migrants in Aden. 

Abdii’s road to full recovery will take time but he made significant progress in Aden to improve his well-being by attending regular counselling sessions and receiving access to the medications he needs.  He opted to return to Ethiopia through IOM’s Voluntary Humanitarian Return programme in October. 

This is the story of thousands of migrants who suffer from hardship while transiting through Yemen. 

Almost 50,000 migrants, host communities and displaced people in Yemen received MHPSS support from IOM in 2022. This psychosocial assistance helps people affected by conflict and abuse to overcome challenging and disruptive experiences and create a healthier future.  

IOM’s comprehensive health support – including psychosocial assistance – is made possible thanks to support from donors like the European Union as well as the Governments of Germany and Finland. 

*Name changed for security reasons