A.
A. is in her thirties, and is from Yemen. She moved to Egypt in 2016 with her son, who has Erb's Palsy, which causes partial paralysis.
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She told us the most difficult part about living in Egypt was her struggle to keep her son safe, and the isolation from others.
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Since arriving to Egypt, she finds ways to provide for her family. She receives some help from the UN, sells perfume, and sells meals she cooks.
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A. experiences lingering trauma and fear since leaving Yemen. Her trauma comes from her family, who continue to threaten her. Her husband died, and her family wants her son to avenge his father's death. But because of the son's condition, he cannot do this.
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The isolation in Egypt has created a sense of hopelessness, though she presses on. She teaches her son at home, since he cannot attend school to get the education he needs.
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A. desires safety, peace, and provisions for her son. She works hard to give her son the best life she can.
B.
B. arrived in Egypt in 2021 after facing difficulties in Yemen; Because he refused to fight in the war, B. was imprisoned for some time. Two of his sons eventually joined the military forces in Yemen to help provide for their families. Now, B. lives in Egypt with his wife and his remaining children.
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His biggest difficulty in Egypt is the way he is treated there — several times, men have attacked him and stolen from him. Since everything has been taken from him, B. struggles to feel proud of his life.
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His only support has been the generosity of other Yemeni, who donate food to his family. B. has disabilities that make it difficult for him to work, and cause him to be treated poorly by others.
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He hopes to relocate to the United States, so he can finally access the medical assistance he needs, and find good work to rebuild his family's life.
S.
S. fled Yemen and arrived in Egypt in 2019. She is divorced, which has caused her difficulty in life — especially living as a refugee in a new country.
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Overall, S. feels safer in Egypt, but every day brings new challenges. She receives no benefits from the UN, and cannot obtain refugee status. Her status is limited to "Asylum Seeker," which only allows her to live in Egypt.
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It is nearly impossible for her to find safe work. Those who have allowed her to do work have mistreated her.
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S. feels she has already lived a good life in Yemen, and now, her only hope and purpose left in life is to provide for her children.
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Her daughter is a brilliant student. It is heartbreaking that she cannot find scholarships to attend university. S. believes her daughter could become a doctor one day, but her education options are nonexistent given their situation.
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Y.
Y. came to Egypt from North Yemen in 2021. He fears discrimination, since he is from North Yemen, and many Yemeni refugees in Egypt are from the South.
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Y. has many children, and several of his sons have spinal deformities. He spends all of his time bringing his sons to doctor appointments, and since he is caring for his disabled children, he struggles to find time to work. He works hard to find care for his sons, but cannot access adequate treatment. However, without specialized care, his sons could die.
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More than anything, he desires medical assistance for his family. Additionally, Y. hopes for job training opportunities, as finding work has been so difficult.
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He has no hope for the future of Yemen. But he remains strong for his family.
G.
G. arrived in Egypt in December of 2022. His journey out of the country was expensive, and he is in debt both in Yemen and Egypt. His friends and family generously took out loans to help him travel to Egypt. But now that he is in Egypt, he struggles to find work.
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He is young and unmarried, and has learned that organizations will support the most extreme cases (those with disabilities, diseases, or divorce) before helping the healthy people.
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G. has proficiency in graphic design, but has no way to utilize that talent.
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His favorite thing about Yemen is the food — Yemeni food is the best.
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Despite G.'s inability to obtain financial assistance from the UN and other organizations, he has found a helpful network through Yemeni's Pride Initiative, a local, unofficial Yemeni organization that helps fellow refugees find resources.