How Your Ramadan Donations Are Supporting Families in Yemen

Across Yemen, years of crisis and instability have left millions of people struggling to meet their most basic needs. For many families, putting food on the table is a daily challenge - one that becomes even more difficult during the holy month of Ramadan.

Thanks to the generosity of Penny Appeal donors, vulnerable people across Yemen are receiving essential food support through our Ramadan Food Project. These food parcels provide families with staple ingredients they need to prepare meals and sustain themselves throughout the month.

Behind every food parcel is a story - a person whose life has been touched by your kindness.

Saeeda’s Story

At 62 years old, Saeeda Mohammed Ibrahim Sharaf lives alone in Al-Haihah village in the Wusab Al Safil district of Dhamar, Yemen. A widow with no breadwinner and no stable source of income, Saeeda faces each day with immense difficulty.

Displacement and the loss of family support have left her navigating life largely on her own. Without the ability to work, meeting even the most basic needs - such as food, healthcare, and daily essentials - has become an ongoing struggle.

Life in her village is challenging, and isolation has made things even harder. With limited resources and little regular assistance reaching her community, Saeeda often faces uncertainty about how she will manage from one day to the next.

A Lifeline During Ramadan

Through Penny Appeal’s Ramadan Food Project, Saeeda received a food basket containing essential staples, including:

• Flour
• Rice
• Sugar
• Cooking oil
• Dates
• Pasta
• Tea
• Tomato paste
• Tuna
• Legumes

For many families in Yemen, these items form the foundation of everyday meals. Receiving a parcel like this means the difference between going hungry and being able to prepare nourishing food during Ramadan.

But for Saeeda, the support meant much more than just ingredients. In her own words:

“This assistance was not merely food to satisfy my hunger; it was a lifeline that eased the harshness of my darkest days. It lifted the heavy burden of constantly worrying about tomorrow's meal and restored a long-forgotten sense of comfort and hope to my weary heart.”

The Impact of Your Generosity

Saeeda’s story reflects the reality faced by many vulnerable people across Yemen -widows, displaced individuals, and elderly community members who have no reliable source of income or support.

For people in these circumstances, Ramadan food parcels provide stability at a time when they need it most. They ease the daily anxiety of not knowing where the next meal will come from and allow families to observe the holy month with greater dignity.

Every parcel distributed through the Ramadan Food Project represents the compassion of Penny Appeal donors who have chosen to stand alongside communities in crisis.

A Message from Saeeda

Saeeda shared a heartfelt message for those who made this support possible:

“To the generous hearts at Penny Appeal donors, my gratitude runs deep for your profound giving. Please do not forget us; we are still battling the rough waves of this harsh life, and we are in desperate need of your continued support to help us secure a better, more dignified life.”

Continuing to Support Yemen

While Ramadan is a special time for giving, the challenges facing families in Yemen continue throughout the year. Food insecurity, displacement, and economic hardship remain part of daily life for millions.

Through projects like the Ramadan Food Project, Penny Appeal continues working to ensure vulnerable people receive the support they need to survive and rebuild their lives.

And thanks to the generosity of donors, people like Saeeda can face tomorrow with a little more hope.