KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Relief Agency (MRA) distributed food aid to Yemenis at the Ma’alla refugee camp in southern Yemen on Thursday.
The aid, comprising wheat flour, rice, cooking oil, salt, sugar, grains, beans and other basic items, were handed out to 150 families in the camp.
MRA president Mohd Daud Sulaiman said many Yemenis have been driven out of their homes as a result of the civil war in the country since 2015, leading to a devastating humanitarian crisis.
“Many of these people have been living as refugees in their own country until today as a result of the war. About 1.9 million Yemenis have been living in refugees camps, despite being people of the land,” he said.
He said that as of the end of 2017,the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR ) figures show that nearly 84 per cent of Yemenis were still living in refugee camps for more than a year.
“Providing water and basic food are MRA’s focus for those affected. As part of the mission, we provide aid in the form of basic food packs for those living in refugee camps across the country.
“We take into account the domestic refugee groups who are really in need, especially those who are in the refugee camps without the basic necessities,” Mohd Daud said, adding that MRA has been actively providing the aid since 2015 .
One of Ma’alla refugees , known only as Naser, from Taiz, said they could not do anything but pray to God for this crisis to end soon.
“However, we are also very grateful to our brothers in Malaysia for the contributions, kindness and courtesy they have shown us,” he said.
With Mohd Daud in the Yemen MRA mission were its International Operations Executive, Mohd Fadhil Baharudin, and Project Coordinator Mohd Lutfi Hafifi Japili.
Mohd Daud said the humanitarian mission led by him had also visited Seiyun, Shabwah, Abyan, Aden, Mukalla and Tarim in Yemen to distribute the aid.
As part of their mission, the team had crossed more than 3,000 km of roads and deserts, past numerous security checkpoints and tribal lands in southern Yemen and the Hadramawt region. They returned to Malaysia yesterday.
MRA is urging Malaysians to support the Yemeni refugees through monetary aid by contributing to the effort. Those keen on helping can channel their donations to the Malaysian Relief Agency’s bank account (CIMB Bank - 8600059478).