Like many other families in Taiz, especially in the Al-Dhaboua area, Abdulkafi lives in a small room with his eight children. He has to pay the monthly rent of 50,000 rials.
He partitioned off half of the room to be used as a living room for his family, whereas the rest of the room is used as a shop for selling scrap metal. The confined space his family lives in does not allow for ease of movement or proper ventilation.
Abdulkafi has a heart condition and poor immune system. He is a heart attack survivor and has undergone two heart surgeries. “I am too ill to have a job. I know that this shop does not suffice to provide even a small bag of sugar, but I have no choice,” he said. “My children and wife must see me working.”
It has become more difficult for him to buy medicines as he spends all his earnings buying basic commodities such as flour and sugar.
Friday is received differently in Yemen. It is a holiday and a time for the households to get busy preparing a large lunch. But Abdulkafi dreads Fridays.
“The most dreadful time for me is Friday because I cannot provide a special meal for my children like other families,” Abdulkafi said. He feels very embarrassed as he is unable to provide basic materials for his family, let alone providing special meals on Fridays.
The Humanitarian Forum provided Abdulkafi and the family a food basket which helped him and his family greatly. He was able to direct the little profits from the shop for buying medicines for himself and study materials for his children.
Abdulkafi thanked Human Appeal, the Humanitarian Forum, and all the workers for the food basket. He wishes to be included in any upcoming project, “it makes a big difference to me and my family,” he explained.
