Qatar Charity has contributed to supporting 210,408 internally displaced people in Yemen and 5,000 orphans in Bangladesh as well as facilitating the distribution of medicines to 12 health facilities in the rural areas of Yemen’s Al Hudaydah and Hajjah governorates.

A medicine distribution drive spearheaded by the Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF) division of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Qatar Charity (QC) has benefited 210,408 internally displaced people (IDP) since 2023.

In a report published on Monday, QC said this collaborative initiative has facilitated the distribution of medicines to 12 health facilities in the rural areas of Al Hudaydah and Hajjah governorates.

Across the country, 46% of health facilities are partially functioning or are completely out of service due to a lack of equipment, medicines, funds, electrical outages and shortage of staff, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported.

In response, the YHF-QC project has offered financial support to the governorates’ healthcare workers.

The collaboration also includes training for healthcare personnel.

“The health situation in our area is extremely poor, but thanks to the intervention of Qatar Charity and its partners, medicines are now available in health centres,” said  Abdullah Mohammed, one of the YHF-QC project’s beneficiaries.

Yemeni womens’ healthcare

The project also prioritises pregnancy care with courses on how to offer help in emergencies, premature births and instances of breathing difficulties in pregnant women.

Speaking to the Anadolu Agency, Hicham Nahro, Deputy Representative of the UN Population Fund (UN FPA) in Yemen, said that frequent displacement hampers women’s access to the country’s remaining functional health facilities.

“Some pregnant women in critical condition try to reach hospitals by walking or riding camels for 7-8 hours,” the UN FPA official added.

Conflict intensified in Yemen in 2015 following the September 2014 takeover by the Houthi rebel group of the country’s capital, Sana’a. Neighbouring Saudi Arabia, alongside an alliance, launched an air offensive against the rebel group to halt any further territorial gains.

This has contributed to the displacement of more than three million people, the United Nations Yemen department reported. 

This also triggered one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with the UN adding that as many as 24.1 million people, roughly 80% of the Yemeni population, need humanitarian assistance and protection.

Support for Bangladeshi orphans

Meanwhile over in Bangladesh, Qatar Charity has sponsored over 5,000 orphans across various regions of the south Asian country.

The organisation also manages 13 orphanages, which are equipped with schools and student dormitories. This initiative is part of Qatar Charity’s “Rofaqa” initiative, aimed at sponsoring and caring for orphans and children globally, ensuring they receive comprehensive care.

The support does not end when these orphans turn 18, Qatar Charity continues to provide assistance with university scholarships and economic empowerment projects.

This ongoing support has fostered numerous success stories, where many sponsored individuals have excelled academically and professionally.

One such story is Dr Ghulam Zakaria’s, who was first sponsored by Qatar Charity in the year 2000 as a fifth-grade orphan.

Today, he serves his Bangladeshi village by offering free medical treatment to those in need.