Making learning more comfortable

Yemen | 2023 | CBPF

Yemen, Ta’iz governorate. Bakil is twelve years old. He enjoys school but was finding it difficult to focus. His classroom in Ta’iz lacked seats and it was hard to concentrate while sitting on the floor.

His father made a chair for him to bring to school – he could see better, but he still needed a desk to write on.

Years of conflict have weakened Yemen’s education system. Thousands of schools were destroyed, damaged, or used for shelter and safety rather than schooling.

The net result? Nearly 2.7 million children are out of school, and those who do manage to attend school – like Bakil – struggle due to poor facilities and lack of resources.

Supported by the Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF), the Social Development Hodeida Girls Foundation (SdHGF) made some improvements to Bakil’s school and others in Al Makha district.

They provided essential supplies including school desks, and rehabilitated classrooms, toilets, and teachers’ incentives for schools throughout the area.

For Bakil, having a comfortable seat and a desk to write on makes daily lessons more comfortable. “I felt I’m really learning,” he said.

His teacher explained that now he could move from student to student and better explain the lessons, compared to when the kids had to sit on the floor.

It’s a small thing in a challenging situation, but it makes a difference.

The YHF has emerged as a critical source of direct funding for Yemeni organizations, with 43% of funding allocated to national frontline responders in 2022, nearly double the previous year’s percentage, and 41.33% so far in 2023.

Adapted from original stories from SdHGF and the Yemen Humanitarian Fund.

For more information: visit the Yemen Humanitarian Fund web site and find real-time contribution and allocation data on the POOLED FUNDS DATA HUB.