Cash assistance is it’s impact on Amir and his displaced family

Amir's story

Amir, a 21-year-old from Taiz governorate, has faced the need to leave his hometown with his family due to challenging living conditions, war, and high inflation. Amir has five children, and he adopted his two cousins after their parents passed away in the conflict. Amir and his family fled from Taiz to Lahj seeking to improve their living conditions and secure a dignified life. 

This is Amir's first experience with displacement. Like many displaced individuals, he had no money when he made the decision to flee. He spent five days on the journey, moving and stopping in various areas, in search of work and the necessary means to cover the transportation expenses to their destination in Lahj. 

Displacment

Upon Amir's arrival to Al Anad in March 2023, he had approximately 2,000 Yemeni rials [less than three dollars], which he used to purchase materials to install a tent. Although the amount was insufficient, the generous people in the area provided their assistance and offered him some blankets to sleep on.

After Amir was identified as a displaced person and determined to meet the criteria for cash assistance under the CCY program, he was classified as part of the most vulnerable category. As a result, he will receive six cycles of cash assistance.

Cash assistance

This is the third round Amir received cash assistance; he benefited from the previous one, which helped him buy clothing, cooking utensils, and food supplies. Amir expresses, "before this assistance, we went through difficult times and experienced hunger without finding any support or help from anyone." 

Nevertheless, Amir perseveres in the face of these challenging circumstances and takes on any available job to earn money. One of the ways he does this is by collecting plastic bottles. 

Amir's dream

Amir has been able to achieve his dream of purchasing a motorcycle after receiving one round of cash assistance. The motorcycle was used, and the price was not high, so he managed to pay the full amount. The motorcycle has been a long-held aspiration for him, and the cash assistance he received made this dream a reality. 

Amir feels gratitful for the cash assistance he received as it played a vital role in helping him genrate income for his family.  

Better life condition

The motorcycle plays a vital role for Amir as the primary source of income. It enables him to work in delivering goods or providing transportation services for individuals. The motorcycle has significantly improved his quality of life and enhanced his ability to provide the needs of his family more effectively. 

For future

With the support of the European Union Humanitarian Aid, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has worked with partners through the Cash Consortium for Yemen to provide immediate cash assistance to the most vulnerable people like Amir.

Amir has received three multi-purpose cash transfers and will receive an additional three over the next months. These transfers have significantly transformed his life, they have given him hope and lifted his spirits after enduring the harsh trials of conflicts. Amir continues to hold onto his desire for a better life, and this remains his primary motivation as he navigates his journey, and raises his children, and the two cousins he adopted.