The economy — not just bombs — is killing Yemen

By Holly Frew, Emergency Communications Manager at CARE

Ask anyone in Yemen, “How has your life been impacted by the war?” and instead of naming the violence from airstrikes, missiles or gunfire, the more common response might be, “Everything is so expensive now, and I can no longer find work to support my family.”

Aziza, a young mother of four from Sa’dah, delivered just such an answer. Her husband owned a farm that supported the family, but the war destroyed that — just as anti-aircraft missiles ripped away the top floor of their home as they huddled together on the bottom floor.

Aziza has been able to find some work separating coffee beans for a farmer, but it's not enough to support their family. (Photo: Holly Frew)

 

They were frightened by the airstrikes and missiles that rained down on their village. But it wasn’t just the sound of airstrikes that kept them up at night. It was the lack of income, too. They moved to Amran, which was safer, but her husband cannot find work.

Aziza separates coffee beans for a farmer, but he pays her only 300 Yemeni rial for every 10 kilos of beans. That’s only US$1.20.

“Sometimes I cry while I’m separating the coffee beans, because it’s not enough money for my family, but it’s all we have,” said Aziza.

This war is not just physically destroying Yemen. It’s also destroying Yemen’s economy. Over the past year since the conflict escalated, economic growth has declined by 35 percent. More than a quarter of Yemeni businesses have closed, most shuttered because of airstrikes and ground-fighting. A staggering 70 percent of small-to-medium-sized businesses have laid off their workforce.

Feeling a similar economic pressure as Aziza, another woman, Ameenh, can relate. “Everything is so expensive now that we are lucky if we have enough money for flour,” she said. “Before the war, we could always find daily work outside the village and have enough money to regularly eat meat and vegetables. Now, we can’t find work, and all we eat is bread. We survive only by taking loans and the cash-for-work activities that CARE is providing.”

Ameenh shared, “Everything is so expensive now that we are lucky if we have enough money for flour". (Photo: Holly Frew) 

 

In Ameenh’s village, for example, CARE is reaching nearly 100 families with cash-for-work activities to improve the road to the village. Women and men work for 21,000 rial (US$84) per month doing manual labor to widen the road, which will make it easier for cars and trucks to get supplies in and out of the village.

Not only are jobs hard to find, but food and fuel shortages have caused prices to skyrocket.

“It now costs 2,000 rial (US$8) for one kilo of flour! It used to only be 400 (US$1.60),” said Ameenh. “It’s been a year since we have had gas for cooking. Now we have to go into the woods several times a week to collect firewood, and that takes up to five hours.”

But before the economy can even begin to recover, there must be peace and security. The peace talks in Yemen must resume for there to be any hope for its people to escape the tightening grip of poverty.

“My only wish for the future is for the war to stop and people to get their jobs back,” said Ameenh.