Médecins Sans Frontières - SOCIAL MEDIA CARD Ahmad EN

Unique Identifier Code / URN MSB116640

Date taken / Date Recorded 14/12/2021 12:00 AM

Country Yemen

Detailed location MARIB, YEMEN

Commissioning section MSF-NETHERLANDS

Photographer / videographer / producer Hesham Al Hilali

Copyright Hesham Al Hilali

Usage Rights (MSF) MSF Fundraising, MSF Publications, Social Media

Formal Consent Copy available yes

Project section OCA

Editor's rating ★★★ (F)

Maximum Size 1880px × 1576px 5.13 MB

Additional Information / Shotlist FULL TESTIMONY
All we want is water, shelter, food and a blanket
Life under a tent is not unusual for Ahmad. The 38-year-old Yemeni was born and raised in a tent, and such makeshift shelter has been home for his family for years. It is, however, harder now due to the conflict in the country.
While living in Marib governorate, Ahmad was working in Dhamar to earn for his family alongside his father before 2015. He used to earn enough as a farmer or a construction worker on daily wages. Ahmad also made a reasonable amount of money by selling Khat, a stimulant widely used in Yemen. The amount was never sufficient for him to dream of a house, though.
Since the war, Ahmad and many Yemenis who rely on daily wages, have been left with limited work opportunities. A significant rise in food prices and other commodities have exacerbated their problems. Ahmad can’t find work every day, but when he does, the money is hardly adequate to buy bread and tea for his children.
“We are a family of 16 living in two tents. We mostly have bread and tea as food, and sometimes fruits or vegetables,” says Ahmad. “It is very difficult to manage food every day. There is no clean water, either. We use the same salty water for drinking and other purposes. Many of the people living in the area do not have latrines. Now, when the weather is harsh, we shiver with cold because we don’t have blankets to cover us,” he says.
Was it any better before the war?
“We didn’t have a lavish life before the war, but we were not in such dire circumstances,” he says. He recalls buying a bag of flour for 4,000 Yemeni Riyals ($5), which is now sold at 10 times the price. He cannot imagine buying a full bag of sugar as the price has doubled. This has led to limited food for himself and for his children.
Ahmad is a patient at MSF’s mobile clinic in Al-Hussun area of Marib with his two children, who both have been diagnosed with diarrheal viral infection and sore throat.
Dr Basma Awn, sees dozens of patients suffering from common diseases caused by poor hygiene conditions, unsafe drinking water and cold weather.
“Our patients get sick because of lack of shelter, clean water or hygiene. If their living conditions were better, they would be far less at risk of infection,” says Dr Awn.
Poverty and exclusion
Ahmad belongs to the Muhamasheen community, a minority who suffer from caste-based discrimination characterised by deep-seated poverty and exclusion. As he does not own a land, Ahmad and many families like his, continue to move from one place to another to set up their tents. They are at the pity of the landlords who can ask them to leave at any time.
Already living in poor economic conditions, the conflict has particularly affected this community across Yemen. Ahmad says they are not discriminated against based on their caste; instead it is poverty that has excluded them from the rest of the community.
“Food, shelter and water. That’s it. We do not want a big house or to buy land. All we need is food, shelter and blankets in winter,” says Ahmad.
Al-Muhamasheen (‘the marginalized ones’) is a vulnerable minority group spread across Yemen. Marib hosts a large number of the Muhamasheen community who migrated to the governorate from other parts of the country to escape conflict and to explore economic opportunities.

ENDS

MDB references of photos:
MSB115940, MSB115942, MSB115943 , MSB115944, MSB115945

Special instructions PICTURE USED MSB115940