by Sashaly Bernard
What is happening in Yemen?
In Yemen, there is a war between the Saudis and the Houthis that has been going on for the past 2 years. This Civil war has caused the destruction of the agriculture, infrastructure, health care and the social unity of the country. “On average, a child under the age of 5 dies of preventable causes in Yemen every 10 minutes,” says the head of the United nations. This is all happening because of the naval blockade that is being inflicted by the Arab coalition. This has come from the bombing of the cranes which block the port where the imported food goes through. “These actions have taken a huge toll on Yemen because they are 80-90% dependant on this imported food, water, and supplies.” (source:Washingtonpost.com, theguardian.com. )
What toll does the war have on Children?
The toll this war in Yemen is leaving on the children is deadly. “Destruction to the country’s infrastructure has meant that 14.5 million people, including nearly 8 million children, do not have access to clean water and sanitation. The number of cholera cases in Yemen is expected to reach 600,000 by the end of the year.” So many children are dying and one need of medical health that there are no longer any more beds at the hospitals and the kids are forced to wait. The electricity often goes out which causes machines to stop working. There are few hospitals left and the ones that are still standing are on the verge of failing. Once the children are weakened by malnutrition and dehydration, they are more likely to get diarrhea, malaria, cholera, and pneumonia. “Food should not be a source of war, it should be a source of peace,” says David Beasley, a world food programmer. (source:bbcnews, theguardian.com)
How you can help?
“Save the Children” is helping by distributing food and operating mobile health clinics. Their main priority is to reach children under the age of five because they can’t withstand as much malnutrition and are more prone to disease. One way you can help is by donating money to the following charities:
- Red Cross
- Save the Children
- Unicef
- Oxfam
- The Disasters Emergency Committee
- The International Rescue Committee