Sumayah: “My brother was killed in this war. It was so hard.
He wasn’t only my brother, he was my friend.”
Yemen has been going through a civil war for over five years.
It’s one of the Arab world’s poorest countries...
And the United Nations has said it’s facing “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis” ...
Coronavirus is also making things worse. Shrooq: “I cannot actually describe how
our lives are affected by war because it’s in so many
ways. The services, even the mobility, even the travelling, the currency.”
“You have to walk long distances away.” “Even the mobility, even travelling.”
But 70% of Yemenis are under the age of 30. (source: United Nations Development
Programme) And some of them want to imagine a
better future for themselves, and for the world to start seeing their country in a different light.
Sumayah: “As an artist, I want to share my culture with the world,
the world only knows the bad things about Yemen.”
Shrooq: “The youth here in Yemen are so passionate about their work,
they’re super passionate about making change.”
Half of all young Yemenis are unemployed.
(source: United Nations Development Programme)
Ala, Shrooq, and Sumayah are lucky to have jobs;
so they want their work to have a positive influence on future generations.
Shrooq: “Hi (waving), oh I have a sleepy face. Anyway I’m heading to work now.”
Shrooq works with other organisations to help raise the profile of Yemeni culture.
She wants to help Yemenis tell their stories through things like art, writing, drawing.
Shrooq: “The upcoming generation cares a lot about the culture
and is really trying to revive it in several ways.”
It’s not just the culture young Yemenis want to protect, but the beauty of their country too.
Ala: “The environment also paid the price of this war.”
Climate change is an important issue for Ala.
He works with a network of other young people in Yemen, educating them about the environment.
Ala: “Places like Socotra Island, a World Heritage Site, with almost 300 unique species and plants
are suffering from military activities and armed conflict.”
Sumayah feels the conflict has been especially hard on young
Yemeni women but she is starting to see a change.
Sumayah: “I think people in Yemen are starting to explain
their feelings through art and visual arts.” “Right now you can see a lot of filmmakers,
artists, and I’m so glad because they start to think of that.”
“For me, I am trying to tell stories about the Yemeni humans, what’s happening in their lives.”
But Sumayah, Ala, and Shrooq feel more needs to be done globally to raise
awareness about what’s happening in Yemen. Shrooq: “What we are going through is really
hard.” Sumayah: “First
world countries need to step up to stop this war in Yemen.”
Countries like the US, UK, and France have showed support for the Saudi - led coalition – one
of the sides fighting in this war. And Iran has been accused of supporting
the other side - the Houthi rebels.
The United Nations has called for the fighting to stop but have been unsuccessful so far.
International charities have launched urgent appeals to help the millions trapped in poverty.
Not everyone believes
what’s being done is enough. Ala: “Billions of dollars are being spent by
a kind of humanitarian relief but without any positive outcome.”
“What we see is that the situation is getting worse.”
Even though their daily lives are affected by an ongoing war,
there is still hope for a different future.
Shrooq: “The importance of my work
is really to reflect peaceful work, to build an atmosphere where all Yemeni people are linked by
their culture, by their diversity, by their talents.”
Sumayah: “I hope that peace will cover all over Yemen,
and the social ties between people to come back as well. For Yemen and for everyone,
so we can live in dignity, equality, and peace.”