Books before belongings

The recent escalations in the conflict in Yemen forced Salma’s* her family to flee their home in Yemen, she took her books and notebooks. Now she wants to go back to school. 

When Salma’s family had to leave their home in Al Khokha, her father, Hassan*, told the children to take what they needed most. Salma* reached for her schoolbag and began putting her books and notebooks inside. Some of her clothes and toys stayed behind. 

“I made sure to take my bag because I love studying,” she says. “I thought that when we reached the place where we would settle, I would enrol in school and study.” 

The family couldn’t find transport. They walked for three days before reaching safety in Lahj. Salma* remembers how tired she was and how often she asked her mother when they would arrive. Her parents told the children, ‘Soon’. Even on the road, Hassan* remembers, Salma* was thinking about school. 

Salma’s* family was one of many forced to leave home. Since August, more than 281,000 have been displaced in Yemen. For children like Salma*, leaving home can also mean leaving behind their school, friends and daily routines. 

‘The place was strange to me, Salma* says of arriving in Lahj. ‘I didn’t know anyone. There were faces I had never seen before, and I had no friends here.’ 

What she misses most about Al Khokha is her school and her friends. She still opens her bag to read and write. Hassan* says she asks about school every day. 

The family arrived without shelter, mattresses or blankets. They have since received shelter and cash assistance from the Danish Refugee Council (DRC). They still need bedding, hygiene supplies and basic household items. Hassan* hopes to find a steady income so he can provide for his family. He also wants his children to have the chance to learn again. 

DRC is committed to supporting families through the first days of displacement and as they rebuild their lives. In Yemen, that means providing emergency assistance and working with communities and partners to improve access to essential services for newly displaced families, people displaced for longer and the communities hosting them. 

‘We left our homes, but we don’t want our children to lose their education’ he says. 

Salma* knows what she wants to do next: ‘What I wish for now is to study again, get new books and notebooks, and make new friends’. 

Salma* kept her books and notebooks when her family fled in the hope of a return to stability. Meeting the needs of Salma’s* whole family – from safe shelter to everyday essentials – can give them more stability as they work towards getting her back to school. 

Donors should provide urgent, flexible funding for shelter, clean water, sanitation and other essentials. That funding must reach families displaced by the latest fighting while maintaining assistance for those displaced for longer and the communities hosting them. 

Decision-makers must press for de-escalation and protection of civilians, ensuring the safe delivery of assistance by humanitarian organisations. Families need the safety and stability to make decisions about their future. For Salma*, one of those decisions is where she’ll go to school.

*Names have been changed to protect the family’s identities.