Key facts
- Over 130,000 people have been displaced by recent fighting in Yemen.
- 13-year-old Muneer Farie and his siblings now sell goods to support their family.
- Muneer's school in Taiz was forced to close after a nearby missile strike.
- The main road between Mocha and Taiz has been severed by clashes.
- Interrupted commerce has increased the price of basic goods in Taiz.
Renewed fighting in Yemen's Taiz region has forced thousands of children to abandon their education and seek work to support their families, as the conflict disrupts daily life and essential supply lines. Muneer Farie, a 13-year-old who dreamed of becoming a teacher, now sells socks in a displacement camp after his family fled their village in al-Wazeyah district due to advancing Houthi forces.
The escalation of fighting, which began in September with a Houthi military campaign moving south-west along the Red Sea coast, has upended years of relative calm. Civilians are fleeing airstrikes and missiles, with over 130,000 people displaced and crowding into camps like the one in al-Shimayateen, Taiz. Muneer's father, Ghaleb Farie, has had to rely on his sons to earn money for survival, expressing little optimism about returning home soon.
The conflict has also impacted those who remained in their homes. Abdulwasea Abdu, principal of Musaab Ibn Umayr school, was forced to close the school after a nearby missile strike caused panic and psychological trauma among students. The school, which served over 600 pupils, cannot resume classes due to fighting on multiple fronts. Abdu fears many displaced children will be pushed into child labor.
Beyond the immediate humanitarian crisis, the clashes have severed the vital road connecting the port city of Mocha with Taiz, disrupting commerce and increasing the price of basic goods. This has particularly affected displaced populations and residents in Taiz city, with some resorting to cheaper food options. The disruption also forces expatriates like Asaad to take longer, more expensive routes when traveling between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, reminiscent of earlier years of the war.