New Statesman: Day in the Life of an Aid Worker Under the Blockade in Yemen

Saudi Arabia, intervening in the Yemen civil war, has imposed a blockade with periodic openings to allow humanitarian aid. The war and the blockade adds to the challenges of delivering emergency relief, and New Statesman published the description of a typical day for Johan Mooij, the country director for CARE in Yemen. Basics like water, electricity, fuel, health services and food are in short supply, contributing to rising prices, and people with solar panels have the most reliable energy, even more than those with generators. Food distribution requires intricate logistics. Directors balance their time between logistics and crises and meeting with donors. Airstrikes and gunshots are common, and security remains a constant concern as aid workers must secure permission in work in certain areas. Mooij concludes that “the lives of millions of people are at stake.” The United Nations reports more than 5,200 civilian deaths in Yemen with thousands more injured. – YaleGlobal