Barran Press - Dheifallah Al-Soufi
In Taiz’s busy streets, 45-year-old Ibrahim Mohammed fights to sustain his family. Driving a small delivery cart, he waits hours outside furniture shops for scarce jobs. His meager earnings hardly meet his household’s essential needs.
Impact of War and Blockade
Over the past decade, the war and blockade, worsened by Iran-backed Houthis, have crippled livelihoods. Ibrahim told Barran Press his income no longer covers food, let alone school, healthcare, or rent.
“Before 2020, I worked daily, earning enough for basics and rent. Now, with the currency collapsing and prices soaring, everything’s changed,” he said. “It’s unbearable. We’re constantly anxious about tomorrow,” he added, sighing.
Decline in Aid
Deteriorating conditions in liberated areas, coupled with a plunging currency and lax market oversight, have deepened despair as humanitarian aid dwindles. Said Ali told Barran Press he struggles to afford basics amid economic decline and rising costs.
Worse, Said was cut from the World Food Programme’s aid list, wrongly labeled a government worker. “I’m jobless, with no salary, yet face rent and school fees,” he said. Though sporadic, aid once sustained thousands of Taiz families, he noted.
Rising Prices
A survey of Taiz markets, including the central hub, exposed steep price spikes and shrinking buying power. Mustafa Ahmed told Barran Press, “Before Ramadan, we’d stock up for the month. Now, we can’t afford anything.” Ramadan looms as a dread for many in Taiz.
Traders cite the Saudi riyal’s exchange rate to explain costly essentials, Mustafa said. “Prices change daily,” he added, blaming unchecked exploitation by merchants.
Citizen Testimonies
“An egg costs 300 riyals, yogurt 700. This price surge is crushing,” Mustafa said. Citizens are exhausted.
During the visit, housewife Umm Khaled said they buy less food due to unprecedented costs. “A flour bag is 55,000 riyals—it’s disastrous,” she said, stunned by the government’s inaction amid protests and daily price hikes.
“We’ve suffered since the war, but now it’s a catastrophe. Prices soar, salaries fail, aid vanishes. Where will this lead?” she concluded.
hallenges Faced by Traders
While citizens fault traders for price hikes, traders like Ahmed Al-Dubai told Barran Press, “ Importing goods is tougher with high costs and unstable exchange rates, forcing price increases.”
Al-Dubai noted that higher prices cut demand, hurting profits.
Government’s Absent Role
Citizens told Barran Press they endure worsening conditions daily, questioning why the government and authorities fail to curb prices or ease their plight. They’re baffled by the lack of market controls or efforts to stabilize the currency.
Many warned that without swift action from Yemen’s recognized government and global partners, this crisis could worsen suffering and spark a humanitarian disaster.