Even in the midst of a brutal war, my people are resilient and creative. They organized an award ceremony for a donkey who carried lifesaving aid to besieged areas. They salvaged discarded soiled banknotes just to survive the economic collapse. They have kept their sense of humor. For instance, when, after months of delay, government employees were finally paid at least 50 percent of their salaries, a joke circulated among them that the money wouldn't even be enough to get through the grocery store door, much less actually buy anything.
Two years into a devastating civil war, those coping mechanism are not enough for the Yemeni people to survive. A relative recently sent me a message that broke my heart: “I have no salary.” This breadwinner of a household of nine couldn’t afford to buy food, and I knew that I was his last resort. Thousands of others don't have a relative abroad that they can turn to. They rely on an international aid system that is no longer working for them.