The Emirates Red Crescent, ERC, yesterday launched a programme to distribute food aid, provided by the UAE, to poor families in Yemen’s Rodoum area, Shabwa Governorate.

The aid is part of its humanitarian campaign during the Holy Month of Ramadan, targeting the governorates of Hadramaut, Shabwa and Ma’rib, in a bid to ease the suffering of local people and improve their living and economic conditions.

During the launching ceremony, Hadi Al Kharma, Secretary-General of the local council, praised the ERC’s efforts in Shabwa. At the beginning of his speech, he spoke of his appreciation for the government and people of the UAE, and for their historic stance under such circumstances. He noted the earlier conditions had negatively affected the lives of local citizens, considering the worsening humanitarian conditions and the spread of poverty and unemployment, while valuing the efforts of the ERC to return the smiles on the faces of children and women, who are living under a tragic humanitarian situation.

The head of the ERC team stated that the project to distribute food aid came out of the UAE’s desire to help its brothers to overcome their current crisis, resulting from a war that was started by those who plotted a coup. He also expressed his hope that the aid would help ease the suffering of people, while adding that the authority aims to provide a wide range of support for the citizens of Shabwa Governorate.

The team also seeks to inform local citizens that their mission is not only about providing food aid, which will reach all vulnerable, poor and traumatised families in Shabwa without exception, but it will also include medicine, medical supplies and many aid projects in the sectors of health, electricity and water, as well as other projects that the authority has promised to the children of Shabwa.

The local people expressed their gratitude to the UAE for offering needed humanitarian aid, to ease the burdens of their difficult daily lives.

Saleh Al Wahedi thanked the ERC for this humanitarian gesture, which eased the suffering of his family and their difficult living conditions, due to the increase of prices during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Um Saeed gave her utmost appreciation and gratitude to the ERC, which contributed in easing her suffering, and stated that she supports her small family while earning a low income.