A. M. A. H. is a citizen living at Arsamah village in Qasa’ nucleated group of villages. We met him in one of the cash voucher disbursment outlets. Once he saw us, he remarked: “you just rushed to help us. People were about to starve!”

It was clear that the inclusion of these people in the lists of YDN food security beneficiaries was a life-saving act as their life was about to perish.

Mr. A.M.A.H is the head of a family of 11 people. He had no source of income except the voucher cash assistance he received monthly from YDN. We asked him “how do you spend the amount you receive?” Mr. A.M.A.H replied: “I buy the basic survival subsistance”. He continued: “from here (i.e. the bank) to the shop of Ben Mohammed Salih (i.e. a food wholesaler)” [It means that once he recieved his voucher cash assistance, he would immediately head to the shop to buy food items].

It was clear that Mr. A.M.A.H was very careful to provide the basic subsistence for his family. “I can’t keep this amount in my pocket for one hour,” he said. “Had I been late in purchasing the flour and other basic subsistence items, then I would have spent the amount on unnecessary things”.

“I assure you that we are on the verge of a famine in case this assistance is cut off,” Mr. A.M.A.H exclaimed. He concluded by calling upon the YDN and other organizations to keep up the good work of providing assistance and alleviating the burdens of the beneficiaries.

When asked for permission to publish his story, Mr. A.M.A.H said: “publish it globally! We are starving. You have to communicate our suffering to the entire world!”