Yemen

A country of ancient heritage and strength, Yemen has been left in humanitarian disaster after over a decade of conflict.

Yemen was already the poorest country in the Middle East before the crisis escalated sharply over a decade ago, and since this time, its people have weathered the worst cholera outbreak in modern history, malnutrition and severe economic decline.

Today, at least 19.5 million people out of a population of 34.9 million are in urgent humanitarian need (UNOCHA, 2025).

Families are going hungry, health systems are overwhelmed, and many families have been forced to flee their homes following armed conflict.

Islamic Relief has been working in Yemen since 1998, and we significantly strengthened our programming following the escalation. 

Find out more about the current crisis in Yemen. 

The crisis of hunger 

Cases of malnutrition among children are increasing in remote rural districts of Yemen. 

Islamic Relief health and nutrition workers say they are seeing increasing numbers of malnourished children, with health centres receiving more patients than they have capacity for and some children dying from hunger. 

More than 55% of Yemeni children under 5 years old are now reported to be suffering from serious malnourishment (Islamic Relief Worldwide, 2025). 

Islamic Relief’s work in Yemen 

Islamic Relief has been working in Yemen since 1998, delivering lifesaving aid and long-term support to communities devastated by war, hunger and poverty. 

From distributing food and cash to supporting health services and providing clean water, your donations are helping us save lives every day. 

Providing food and assistance amid crisis 

Your donations are helping us provide support to families feeling the effects of hunger as they battle crisis in Yemen. 

Islamic Relief supports more than 180 health centres and therapeutic feeding clinics in five governorates, providing free treatment to families who have nowhere else to turn. 

Between February and June 2024, we also helped more than 124,000 people with urgent cash and food voucher assistance in hard-hit areas including Alzuhra and Alluhaya districts in the Hodaidah governorate. 

Through your support, families affected by conflict had safe and dignified access to food through cash transfers. 

Helping Yemen’s orphaned children 

Thanks to your generosity, Islamic Relief is supporting over 8,300 through our Orphan Sponsorship Programme (OSP)

Children enrolled in the programme receive a monthly stipend, allowing them to pay for school items, medical support and other essentials.  

Families of orphaned children also benefit from our seasonal distributions, including Ramadan, Qurbani, Eid gifts and winter distributions. 

Your donations are helping to provide stability for children facing loss and grief. 

Supporting the collapsing healthcare system 

Islamic Relief is helping to keep hospitals and health centres in Yemen running by providing vital medicines, supplies and equipment through your donations. 

In Hodeidah, we supported more than 115 dialysis patients from March 2023 to November 2024 by supplying dialysis machines, solutions and rehabilitation of a water treatment station to help those suffering from renal failure.