- March 6, 2025
- Posted by: humanitarianweb
- Category: Humanitarian News
In the midst of the hardships, particularly where access to healthcare services is extremely limited, childbirth remains a life-threatening challenge to Yemeni women in Raymah and Hodeidah due to inadequate medical services. Operating in some of the most geographically challenging and hard-to-reach districts, the AGF-UNFPA project for Maternal and Newborn Health Services has transformed the harsh reality and significantly reduced maternal mortality rates by providing healthcare services to more than 12,000 women in less than a year. The impact of this project goes beyond saving lives—it has also empowered women economically, giving them the opportunity to rebuild their lives with dignity.
This report presents a collection of success stories illustrating the lasting impact of this humanitarian intervention on enhancing the resilience of women who have survived health hazards and found hope through economic empowerment. The stories are live testimonies that these projects are investments in women’s health for a brighter future for entire communities.
Saving Nawal and Her Twins in the Mountains of Raymah
Nawal Ismail, a 28-year-old woman, lives in the village of Bani al-Dhabibi in Raymah Governorate. She endures severe economic hardship as her husband earns a meager daily wage working in a restaurant, barely enough to meet their basic needs, let alone afford essential healthcare.
During her pregnancy with twins, Nawal faced grave challenges. She gave birth to her first child naturally at Al-Qusayh Center in Kusmah, Raymah, but complications arose with the second baby. Hours passed, and signs of preeclampsia began to appear. Her critical condition required an immediate transfer to Al-Thulaya Hospital in Al-Jabeen.
The journey to the hospital was exhausting, lasting two and a half hours across the rugged mountains of Raymah. By the time she arrived in the evening, her condition had deteriorated severely. She was suffering from acute preeclampsia, and her second baby’s heartbeat was dangerously weak. She was rushed into emergency surgery, accompanied by a psychological specialist who helped calm her fears. All Girls Foundation for Development (AGF) project provided the cesarean section services, medications, and post-delivery services.
The newborn was placed in an incubator, while Nawal was moved to the recovery ward. However, her condition worsened, and she experienced severe seizures caused by eclampsia. She was transferred to intensive care, where a medical team worked tirelessly to save her life. By dawn, her physical condition stabilized, but she remained in a coma for two days.
When Nawal finally regained consciousness, she still experienced significant pain from labor but began to feel relief. The moment she held her twin babies in her arms, her face lit up with joy, and her health steadily improved.
After five days in the hospital, Nawal and her twins were discharged in good health. Her story is a testament to resilience and the life-saving impact of AGF’s project in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which continues to provide reproductive health, psychological, and economic support in some of the most impoverished and underserved remote areas in Yemen.
Maysa… The Journey of Motherhood from Pain to Hope and Joy
In the heart of Raymah Governorate lives Maysa, a courageous woman who married in her twenties, carrying big dreams for her family’s future. When she learned she was pregnant, her life filled with hope and joy. However, she did not know that the road ahead would be filled with challenges. As the time for her delivery approached, Maysa began to feel anxious and scared, especially with the difficulty of a natural birth. During those difficult moments, she remembered her dreams of raising her children and seeing smiles on their faces, but the pain intensified, and hope seemed to fade.
Maysa was transferred along with her father to Al-Thulaya General Hospital in the Al-Jabeen area, where she was in desperate need of a doctor’s assistance for her delivery. The doctor immediately decided to perform a cesarean section after the initial examination, which revealed that Maysa was carrying twins. However, the first challenge arose when her father did not have the financial means to cover the cost of the surgery and post-operative services. Under the umbrella of the AGF/UNFPA Project for RH and GBV Prevention Services, and Maysa received the necessary care and services from the entire medical team under the supervision and follow-up of the AGF’s team at the hospital.
With the support of the All Girls Foundation for Development (AGF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the medical team was able to save Maysa’s life. However, there was another challenge facing her twin daughters, as they urgently needed to be transferred to the nursery for initial care due to oxygen deficiency. This was successfully arranged, and they were moved to the nursery, where they received all necessary services, with the foundation, Maysa was in the recovery ward, receiving care and psychological support from the mental health specialist working on the Maternal and Neonatal Health Services Project “Obstetric Emergency.”
Maysa’s health improved day by day, and her father, Haj “Abdo,” felt deeply grateful for all the services provided by the foundation and the hospital staff. He even requested that the All Girls Foundation not leave Raymah Governorate, due to the vital healthcare services it provides to save the lives of mothers. He said, “We received all the care and support, and we had no money to pay for the surgery, but the efforts made by the mental health specialist from the All Girls Foundation did everything necessary to save my daughter and her twins. I am unable to describe what happened to me and my daughter.”
Finally, Maysa was able to leave the hospital with her twin daughters, one of whom was named after one of the midwives working on the project, in gratitude for her role in helping and caring for them. In light of this humanitarian success, the All Girls Foundation continues with its team to provide all services and healthcare to mothers in every targeted facility, with a noble humanitarian goal in mind: saving the lives of mothers in the most needy and challenging areas to provide healthcare.
The Journey of Survival – Saving Amnah’s Life
Amnah Ali, a 34-year-old woman, lives in a village in Kusmah District, Raymah Governorate. Her daily life is filled with challenges as she works tirelessly to meet the needs of her small family, alongside her husband, who earns a meager daily wage as a driver. Like many women in her area, Amnah shoulders arduous responsibilities, such as fetching water and firewood from rugged mountainous terrain. Despite these hardships, Amnah was eagerly anticipating the arrival of her new baby, a beacon of hope for her and her family.
In the sixth month of her pregnancy, Amnah suffered severe bleeding. Overwhelmed with fear and anxiety, she sought care at the health center in Kusmah District, where she received initial treatment, including pregnancy stabilizers and medication to stop the bleeding. A week later, the bleeding returned more severely and she underwent abortion complications, putting her life in grave danger.
As her health continued to deteriorate, the medical team in Kusmah decided to refer Amnah to Al-Thulaya General Hospital in Al-Jabeen District, a three-hour journey along a treacherous mountainous road. During the trip, her condition worsened, and she arrived at the hospital in critical condition, requiring urgent medical intervention to save her life.
Upon her arrival at Al-Thulaya, Amnah underwent an emergency uterine curettage and received a blood transfusion to compensate for the severe blood loss. Beyond the medical care, she also received psychological support from the project’s specialist, helping her overcome the crisis. After days of intensive care, Amnah recovered her health and returned home in good spirits.
Amnah’s story is a living testament to the importance of providing emergency obstetric care and psychological support in remote rural areas. Saving her life was not just a medical success but also a call for the community to work together to ensure that every woman has access to the healthcare she deserves, regardless of where she lives.
Enhancing Empowerment and Self-Reliance of a 50-Year-Old Woman Amidst Life’s Hardships
Amidst the harsh realities of life and the struggle for survival, M.M.J, a woman in her fifties, fights daily to provide for seven family members, including children and individuals suffering from psychological disorders. Alone and with no support, she bears the burden of an overwhelming responsibility in a country where economic and social conditions continue to deteriorate.
But things were not always this dire. She once had a young son in his twenties who worked abroad, sending money to help meet the basic needs of their household. However, two years ago, he was imprisoned due to false accusations, cutting off the financial lifeline that had sustained them. Her suffering multiplied, especially after she took on the responsibility of caring for his three children as well. With no one to turn to, every door seemed shut—until she learned about the project of AGF-UNFPA for Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Protection Services in her area. The project offers psychological support through a specialist at supported health centers. Desperate for relief, she sought help and finally found someone who could ease the immense emotional strain she had been enduring.
Recognizing her vulnerability and urgent need for financial stability, she was enrolled in an economic empowerment training program focused on greenhouse farming. This initiative targeted 25 women from the district, all of whom shared similar struggles and aspirations for self-sufficiency. For M.M.J, the training was more than just an educational opportunity—it was a beacon of hope. She received comprehensive instruction in greenhouse farming techniques and was equipped with a fully functional greenhouse.
Now, M.M.J is preparing to receive the seeds and seedlings to plant her first crop, hoping that this project will be the beginning of a new life that provides her with an income to support her family. Despite all the crises and pressures she has faced, M.M.J stands firm and determined, believing that her new project is her way to overcome the harsh circumstances and achieve the stability she has always dreamed of.
From Survivor to Thriving Individual
K.A.J.’s story is a powerful example of resilience and transformation. A mother of five, she endured a violent marriage, suffering physical abuse and emotional neglect. She often fled to her family’s home, but societal pressures forced her to return. Her situation worsened when her husband’s family branded her body with hot metal in an attempt to “exorcise evil spirits,” leaving her deeply scarred.
A Moment of Despair and a Life Saved
K.A.J. locked herself in the bathroom and attempted to hang herself. Her brother, sensing something was wrong, broke down the door and called for help. She was rescued and rushed to the Central Hospital, where the Emergency Obstetric Project team provided life-saving care.
Intervention and Support
At the hospital, K.A.J. was in critical condition, experiencing difficulty breathing and seizures. The medical team acted swiftly, stabilizing her and providing psychological support. After her condition improved, she was transferred to a specialized health center in Sana’a for further treatment.
Economic Empowerment
Through the All Girls Foundation’s economic empowerment program, K.A.J. was trained in beekeeping and honey production. This training enabled her to support her family and live a dignified life. Today, K.A.J. enjoys stability and peace, cherishing her role as a mother and provider for her children. As she says in her Yemeni dialect, “Now I truly see life.”