Maryamah Camp Faces Starvation as Aid Vanishes and Half of Yemen Goes Hungry

TL;DR: Aid to Maryamah IDP camp in Seiyun has stopped, while more than half of Yemen’s population now suffers extreme food insecurity.

Context The war that began in 2014 has pushed Yemen’s economy into free‑fall. Inflation has eroded the value of the Yemeni rial, driving the worst food crisis since 2022. Temperatures in Seiyun regularly hit 40 °C, and power cuts leave tents sweltering like ovens.

Key Facts - Ali Sagher Shareem, who trekked 1,000 km from Hodeidah, reports receiving no assistance since arriving at Maryamah camp two years ago. His family lives in a windowless shelter made of wooden beams and tarpaulin, relying on occasional casual work for food. - Over 50 % of Yemen’s 30 million people now face extreme food insecurity, meaning they lack enough calories to meet basic needs. - The government estimates more than 10 000 displaced households are sheltering in Wadi Hadramout, with 4 823 households—about 38 487 people—in Seiyun alone. - Residents describe daily life as “miserable.” Many families can afford only two meals a day, often subsisting on flour and occasional half‑chickens. - Medical needs add to the strain; Shareem’s wife cannot afford prescribed medicines, and power outages render fans useless during scorching days.

What It Means The collapse of humanitarian funding has turned Maryamah from a once‑supported camp into a survival zone. Without external aid, displaced families depend on dwindling cash earnings, timber sales, and neighborly handouts. The broader national hunger crisis limits any spillover assistance from nearby villages, which themselves are grappling with soaring prices.

The situation threatens to push more IDPs into famine and could spark larger displacement as families abandon the camp for uncertain alternatives. Monitoring agencies warn that continued aid cuts may exacerbate psychological distress and increase mortality among the most vulnerable.

What to watch next: International donor pledges and any UN‑led emergency food shipments to Wadi Hadramout will be critical indicators of whether the crisis can be averted before the next harvest season.