Yemen - IOM has received 1,000 life jackets from the Al Khair Foundation (AKF) to enhance safe movement of families fleeing the ongoing Yemeni conflict.

As the security situation in Yemen intensifies, women, men and children continue to leave the country by air, on foot, in cars, trucks, boats, or by any means of transportation available. To Somalia, the journey often involves a long and dangerous sea journey.

In order to improve their safety at sea, IOM will be distributing the life jackets to migrants aboard boats that shuttle between Yemen, Berbera in Somaliland and Bossaso in Puntland, and agencies involved in rescue at sea.

“We hope that this will serve to enhance the safe movement of all the families who are travelling for many hours on boats that have limited numbers of life jackets,” said IOM’s Chief of Mission, Gerard Waite.

AKF is a UK-based international NGO providing humanitarian support, international development, emergency aid and disaster relief in some of the world’s most deprived areas.

“Al-Khair Foundation is committed to the preservation of human lives and providing aid for those suffering around the world,” said AKF’s Chairman Imam Qasim. “We hope that our donation will be instrumental in saving the lives of those forced to flee the Yemeni crisis.”

To date, 61,000 people have arrived in Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, and Ethiopia from Yemen since the start of the conflict. Of these, 29,268 individuals (89 per cent Somali returnees, 10 per cent Yemenis, and 1 per cent migrants of other nationalities) fleeing the conflict in Yemen have arrived in Somalia. IOM has assisted 8,128 Somalis with reception, onward transportation and healthcare. 

For further information please contact Heidrun Salzer at IOM Somalia, Tel: +252 617 722 436, Email: hsalzer@iom.int. For more information about Al-Khair Foundation, please contact Tasneem Abdur-Rashid, Head of Communications and PR, Email: tasneem.rashid@alkhair.org, Tel. +44 207 084 7199.