In Yemen, survival has become a daily negotiation with hunger, poverty, and uncertainty. Years of conflict and economic collapse have left millions struggling to feed their families. But while emergency food aid remains critical, long-term solutions demand something deeper: dignity, income, and self-sufficiency.
Through Zakat Foundation of America’s support of the Livestock for Livelihoods Project, vulnerable families are not just receiving aid; they are rebuilding their futures.
Between October and December 2025, this livelihood initiative reached 571 vulnerable households across seven governorates, benefiting an estimated 4,568 individuals, the majority were female-headed, reflecting a strong commitment to empowering women who carry the heaviest burdens of poverty and displacement.
Each family received livestock-based support, including sheep (ewes and rams) or poultry, along with barn construction assistance, vaccines, veterinary services, and operational guidance. This wasn’t charity that disappeared. It was an investment in food security, nutrition, and sustainable income.
And in Tarim District, one woman turned that investment into a movement.
Um Ahmed was a beneficiary of the laying hens distribution project. When she received her hens, she built a small poultry coop beside her home and began raising them carefully. But to her, the birds meant more than eggs.
“The laying hens were not just birds,” she said. “They were a seed of hope for my family.”
Soon, other women in her neighborhood began watching. They, too, wanted a way to earn income and provide for their children, but many lacked space to raise poultry. Instead of protecting her opportunity, Um Ahmed expanded it.
“Why should we work alone when we can become a shared force?” she told them. “My coop can hold all of us, and our success will be a success for everyone.”
Together, they formed a small cooperative and named it “Mothers of Goodness.” They shared responsibilities of feeding, cleaning, monitoring poultry health, collecting eggs, and selling surplus production in the local market. What began as a single act of support evolved into collective empowerment.
Egg production has increased. Income stabilized. Children had more consistent access to protein. And for women who once depended entirely on external aid, a new confidence began to grow.
Across Al-Jawf, Hadramout, Hodeidah, Raymah, Saada, Taiz, and Thamar, families used livestock to improve children’s nutrition, sell milk and meat, and cover critical expenses such as healthcare and education. In households caring for persons with disabilities, the impact was especially profound. Livelihood support meant fewer nights worrying about the next meal.
By supporting income-generating projects like livestock distribution, poultry cooperatives, and skill-based training, Zakat Foundation of America is helping Yemeni families move from dependency to dignity. The goal is not short-term survival, but long-term resilience; communities that can feed themselves, sustain themselves, and dream again.
For Um Ahmed and the Mothers of Goodness, it started with a few hens. Today, it is a growing symbol of what self-sufficiency looks like in Yemen: women working together, children nourished, hope multiplying.
Your support can provide livestock, training, and tools that turn hunger into income and uncertainty into stability. Give a family the means to stand on their own.
