April 2021 – Save the Children in Yemen

The Republic of Yemen is the scene of the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. For six years, Yemen has been a region in crisis with about 21 million people (2/3 of the total population) – of which approx. 11.3 million are children – urgently need humanitarian aid.

What is the conflict about?

The Republic of Yemen was established only in 1990, but for a long time has been considered the poorest country in the Arabian Peninsula. In 1990, the Yemen Arab Republic in the north and the Democratic People’s Republic of Yemen in the south (also called North Yemen and South Yemen) united. Northern Yemen is considered conservative and is strongly influenced by neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Unlike southern Yemen, northern Yemen was almost consistently an independent country. Until 1967, southern Yemen belonged to the British colonial empire. After its independence, the country joined the Soviet Union. Over decades, the countries had developed very differently. The different Muslim faiths also shape the life of the population: Shiites live predominantly in the north; in the south the majority of people are Sunnis. Therefore, the conflict in Yemen is also a religious one.

Already in 2004, there were major political unrests, which led to the resignation of the president as part of the “Arab Spring” in 2012. A transitional government announced new elections and a new constitution, but these plans were never implemented. Since 2015, the Huthis (a political-military movement, formed mainly by Shiites in the north) and a military alliance (mainly Sunnis in the south) have been fighting for supremacy in Yemen. More than four years ago, the Saudi coalition of Arab states intervened, with Western support, in the struggle between the Yemeni government and the Iranian-backed Huthi militia. The war in Yemen is thus not only fuelled by internal conflicts in the poorest country in the Arab world, but also by the regional conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Thus, a violent conflict with international parties developed from the civil war. Western military support for the Saudi alliance is a major factor in the Yemeni war. The United States supplies arms and ammunition, and German companies are also involved. Several human rights organizations have therefore filed charges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Among others, the complaint is aimed at Rheinmetall; the Düsseldorf Group’s bombs were allegedly used in Yemen. The European aircraft manufacturer Airbus was also sued as the Saudi Air Force was deploying Airbus aircraft in the conflict.

The conditions in Yemen are dramatic.

Since 2015, active fighting, bombing, air strikes and attacks have been a daily occurrence. 250,000 people are said to have lost their lives, according to the HNO (Humanitarian Needs Overview 2021). A political solution is not in sight. Every day, an average of 120 children under the age of five die from preventable causes. Meanwhile, there is hardly a child in Yemen who does not need urgent humanitarian assistance. As a result of the conflict, hundreds of thousands of families have neither enough to eat nor drink; the people are starving. More than 2.5 million children under the age of five are acutely malnourished; 400,000 of those children are on the brink of starvation. Many children can no longer go to school because 75% of the schools are bombed or because they have to help support their families. In addition, there are diseases such as cholera, diphtheria, and dengue fever. All of these diseases are life threatening if untreated. The proportion of children under the age of 15 that are newly infected or dying is increasing because many children are already weak due to malnutrition.

Since May 2020, the number of deaths attributable to COVID-19 has increased dramatically. The situation is very critical. Several hospitals in the capital Sana’a are closed because there is not enough protective wear for employees. Many people with COVID-19 symptoms are rejected by hospitals. Meanwhile, the health care system in Yemen has collapsed – 50 percent of hospitals have been destroyed, doctors and medication are missing. Since the beginning of the global corona pandemic, a ceasefire has already been announced twice, but has not been executed. The fights prevent effective prevention against further spread of the virus.

Why are we supporting Save the Children?

‘Save the Children International’ (SCI) was founded in 1919 by the teacher and social reformer Eglantyne Jebb in Great Britain. Since then, it gained 25,000 employees worldwide, who are committed to the rights and protection of children. The basis of their work is the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and they are particularly distinguished by the intensive involvement of those affected by the crisis in project development. The organization has internationally a very good reputation as a charitable institution and regularly receives high marks in foundation rankings (e.g., charity navigator or the DZI). The organization is very efficient and transparent in terms of its use of funds and participates in the Transparent Civil Society initiative. The German national organization “Save the Children Deutschland e.V.” (SCDE) was founded in 2004.

Save the Children has been working in Yemen since 1963, among others in the fields of education, child protection, health, and nutrition. Since the beginning of the conflict in March 2015, they have reached more than two million children with their emergency assistance. Some 850 local and international staff and more than 2,000 volunteers are active in Yemen. Save the Children is the largest international NGO active in Yemen and involves many national partners in its work. Through their strong commitment, it is possible for Save the Children to negotiate with both parties and to work both in the North and in the South. Their many years of experience in regions of crisis are of inestimable value for their work in Yemen. Over the past year, Save the Children staff has operated 23 hospitals and 167 health centres across the country, providing clean water and solar power. The activities of Save the Children include

  • Treatment and care of malnourished children
  • Restoration of health facilities
  • Providing families with food, clean drinking water, and hygiene sets
  • Vaccination of as many children as possible against diphtheria
  • Establishment of shelters for children in which they can play and learn

Furthermore, Save the Children is campaigning for an immediate end to the war. As long as the war continues, no reconstruction work can be done. In order to end the suffering of children and other civilian victims in Yemen, a ceasefire must be implemented as soon as possible.

Why does Moving Child want to help right now and especially in Yemen?

Moving Child supports financially disadvantaged infants, children, and adolescents worldwide. We primarily support basic health care as well as education. These fundamental issues are particularly affected by the war in Yemen. Almost two million children under the age of five are acutely malnourished and without further support, 360,000 children might die of starvation in 2021. Malnutrition is not a short-term symptom, but leads to mental and physical developmental disorders and lifelong delays. The situation is particularly aggravated, as the destroyed port in Hodeida makes the delivery of food, medicine, and goods very difficult. To prevent a famine in Yemen, at least 3.85 billion euros in funding would be needed. However, the UN has promised only half ($ 1.7 billion). In the current context of the Corona pandemic, and the associated spending, many countries have withdrawn or severely cut their support. The UK, for example, has discontinued 60% of their previous funding.

The war in Yemen is particularly damaging to the civilian population and children are particularly affected. Now, why do we feel responsible? Not only because we believe that all children have a right to health, education, and security, but also because Germany is an arms supplier to the conflict. As in previous years, Germany also approved further arms exports to countries involved in the Yemen war in 2019. The death, the mutilation and the destruction in Yemen are therefore also due to German weapons. We have a responsibility to help people and should, wherever we can, put pressure on them to end this war.

Moving Child supports ‘Safe back to school’

A recently launched global initiative by SCI is called “Safe back to school“. This initiative is a response to a little-noticed consequence of the global pandemic: the persistent drop-out of school and end to the education of many children. The cessation of schools at the beginning of the pandemic affects more than 11.5 billion children worldwide and it is estimated that about 10-15 million of them will not return to school at all. ‘Safe back to school’ plays a very special role in Yemen, as many schools were destroyed by the war and even the walk to school is not safe anymore. Parents keep their children at home because the roads and schools are too dangerous. But education is essential, especially for girls and young women, who need education as a foundation to become independent and allow them alternatives to marriage and the role of housewife.

Every donation helps!

If you want to help or are interested in more information, please contact us or the Save the Children team! Or donate via one of the other doantion websites listed below.

 

Sources and ressources:

German newspaper articles

February 2021 – Feldenkrais in schools: A future project of Moving Child

The Feldenkrais Method, named after its founder, the physicist Dr. Moshé Feldenkrais, is a body-oriented learning method that helps people to learn to perceive themselves more consciously. Access and experience to the Feldenkrais Method can contribute to professional and social learning processes. Through the mostly unfamiliar movements, children learn to perceive themselves better and to find alternatives to their usual behaviour in their own rhythm. It is just a small step from getting to know one’s own self, to the appreciation of the uniqueness of friends and strangers. Feeling and experiencing yourself without judgment helps to treat one another with respect and tolerance.

“Learning to think in motion” creates new connections in the brain, enables sensible contact with oneself and expands understanding in contexts. Feldenkrais’ dream was that his method would be taught in schools all over the world.

Our plan is to realise Feldenkrais’ original vision of integration and to incorporate features of organic learning into school learning. In doing so, we initially focus primarily on working with financially disadvantaged children, migrants, or children with learning difficulties. Through the movement exercises in the classroom, all students and teachers should become more fully present and their learning process should be more meaningful and connected with their entire being. The Feldenkrais Method is intended to initiate two important processes: First, students and teachers become more self-conscious and more attentive as a result of the Feldenkrais lesson. This will have an impact on the following subject teaching (e.g., mathematics) that will be carried out afterwards. Second, a new language, a new dynamic, gradually develops among the participants. They listen carefully to each other during exercise classes. The students learn to recognize their own progress and think in different directions in order to explore possible solutions. The subject teachers are also involved in this development, they listen to the students more attentively and are more creative in designing their lessons. The result is that teachers are gradually changing the way in which they teach their subject, leaving time for active awareness, exploration, and self-guidance of the students.

Our idea of ​​the practical implementation is inspired by and in collaboration with an Israeli pilot project that is being led by Dr. Eilat Almagor and has been successfully implemented since 2015. Dr. Eilat Almagor is leading the project to include the Feldenkrais Method in schools and is working with neuroscientists in Israel and Germany on a scientific study aimed at examining the effects of the Feldenkrais Method on brain activity.

Moving Child initially wants to launch projects in Berlin and Munich in which Feldenkrais teachers come to school once or twice per week and teach Feldenkrais movement for 20-30 minutes. The subject teachers are also present. This is followed by the normal subject class, such as mathematics, in which the Feldenkrais teacher then also partakes. Each teacher therefore takes part in the other teacher’s lessons as a student. The teachers meet regularly to prepare their lessons together and to deepen their understanding of Feldenkrais and its connection to learning. Moving Child helps to establish contact and mediation between teachers and schools, to develop the concept and, last but not least, to provide financial support. We look forward to reporting our progress in the future.

Sources and references

2020 end of term report: Moving Child started supporting 7 new projects

2020 was not an easy year. Constant fear, insecurity, and an abundance of financial, health and mental challenges have made life difficult for everyone. The effects of the pandemic are being perceived strongly in Germany, and yet on a global scale our situation is almost comfortable. Nevertheless, there was a drastic shortage for important funding in Germany in the past year. In order to counteract the consequences of the corona pandemic, Moving Child has increased its support for several projects this year. An urgent supply gap had to be closed this year, particularly in schools and in the health sector. In addition, we have included seven new projects in our funding this year and will support them with a total of more than € 180,000. We were very happy to get in touch with such great projects during this difficult time and to support them in their work. These exciting new projects are to be briefly presented here.

In the area of ​​health promotion, Moving Child now supports the Institute Trauma and Pedagogy led by Hedi Gies, which aims to help shape the development of trauma pedagogy socially and institutionally, pedagogically and individually. The basic idea of ​​the institute is the creative process of further developing and passing on trauma-pedagogical attitudes, methods and concepts. Moving Child supports the institute in financing specialist trauma counseling for children and adolescents. The children receive advice on stressful everyday issues that are characterized by their often destructive coping strategies due to trauma. In addition, the association Women Health Family Future is sponsored, the purpose of which is to prevent mental illnesses that can occur around childbirth. The work of the association includes individual and personal support during pregnancy, childbirth, and early parental leave. With the help of the association’s initiatives, women, and especially women with psychosocial stress, children, and their families should be given timely access to pre-existing aid measures. These approaches should help to minimize the rate of new cases of peripartum (around birth) mental illnesses. The most recent project in the “health” area ist the Munich Ambulant Children’s Hospice Foundation, which has been caring for families with critically and terminally ill children in Bavaria since 2004. The full-time and voluntary staff look after and accompany patients from diagnosis, through treatments, and beyond. They relieve families in these extremely trying psychological and physical situations and support them via a professional team of doctors, psychologists, social pedagogues, midwives, and nurses. Moving Child especially supports three projects of the foundation: 1) RUF24 (crisis intervention service), 2) therapy costs, and 3) costs for funerals appropriate for children.

Wildwasser e.V. is an association against sexual violence in Berlin. Their offers are aimed at girls and women who were exposed to sexual violence as girls or adolescents, and their relatives and supporters. DonyA is a transcultural residential group of the Wildwasser association, which currently comprises nine girls between 12 and 18 years. The young women come to the residential group because they have experienced (sexualized) violence or neglect in their families, are in conflict situations that they cannot resolve on their own, or because their home does not offer the necessary stability. The main goal of the work at DonyA is the empowerment of these girls in all areas of life. In 2020, Moving Child financed a summer holiday for the nine girls, which was the first vacation of their lives for some of the girls and at the same time an important component of the paedagogical work.

This year, Moving Child got to know two very special projects in the field of ​​“education”. The first project is the Quinoa School and its provider, Quinoa Education. The Quinoa School is a private school in the social hotspot of Berlin-Wedding with a special goal: all young people in Germany should have the chance to graduate from school regardless of their social and cultural background. Through individual and linguistic support, relationship and family work, career orientation, intercultural learning and behavior management, the students of the Quinoa School will provide the most important skills to lead a successful and fulfilling life. Moving Child finances the project “integrative learning therapy”, which is intended for the development of an individual learning plan and thus to strengthen the self-reflection, motivation and self-efficacy of the students. Furthermore, this year Moving Child has also started supporting the MiBiKids association, which offers German language classes for kindergarten children and schoolchildren with a migration background in the Freising district. The goal of the MiBiKids is to support the children in their school career and thus to increase the chances of a successful professional future. The only admission criteria are a migration background and the willingness to participate regularly.

This year, Moving Child also included environmental protection in its statutes and funding program. The first project in this field was carried out by BUND Nature conservation Bavaria. The project was concerned with the suppression of the mass spread of the glandular balsam, an introduced species that displaces native flora and fauna and disrupts the natural water balance. In an area of the alluvial forest near Waldkraiburg, which was completely dominated by balsam, grazing with cattle was initiated, which was hoped to promote the natural meadow vegetation as well as species that need sunny open habitats such as sand lizards, yellow-bellied toads and grass snakes. After just two weeks of grazing, the cattle had almost completely eliminated the balsam. How the vegetation develops longterm will be observed over the next few years.

We are very happy to have found such wonderful new projects this year and to see positive developments in the projects that we have sponsored for a long time. It is amazing how much energy, time and love people are ready to gift to their fellow human beings and it makes us happy to be able to support them in their work. Our thanks also go to our donors who helped finance the Moving Child projects this year.

We wish you all peaceful and healthy holidays and look forward to the developments in the new year!

Anna, Gertraud and Ella