Yemen faces severe food shortages affecting one family and entire nation

Yemeni Man Struggles to Make Ends Meet Amidst Ongoing Crisis

Mehdi Galeb Nasr, a 52-year-old resident of Sanaa, Yemen, has been forced to adapt to a new way of life due to the deteriorating economic and humanitarian situation in the country. Until recently, Nasr earned a living by pushing an ice cream cart through the streets of Sanaa, but his eyesight loss made it impossible for him to continue this work.

Now, Nasr collects plastic bottles in the streets, accompanied by his wife and five daughters, as he struggles to make ends meet. His daily earnings amount to approximately 600 Yemeni riyals, which is barely enough to cover a basic meal for a family of seven. The lack of steady employment and limited options due to the ongoing conflict have left Nasr with no choice but to find alternative ways to provide for his family.

According to recent projections by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), over 18 million people in Yemen, or more than half the population, are expected to face worsening hunger in early 2026. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification system has also warned of an additional one million people at risk of life-threatening hunger.

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is attributed to various factors, including years of war, mass displacement, declining humanitarian funding, unpaid salaries, inflation, and international sanctions. The situation has been further complicated by internal conflicts and external regional actors involved in fighting in the nation’s south.

Nasr’s family is among millions of Yemeni households living below the subsistence level in severe poverty. His greatest concern is not knowing whether he will be able to provide food for his family, a reality that many Yemenis face daily.

Source: Al Jazeera