“I sit at home all the time, and I can’t meet my children living needs”; with these words, Marwan Al-Omari (36 years old), a resident of Taiz Governorate, opened his statements to "Khuyut". Marwan is a Yemeni young man who lost his job because of his disability. He is a father of four children, ranging from one to eight years old while his eldest daughter education is sponsored by guarantors; according to his statement.
Because he did not receive support from any governmental bodies or international organizations, he only relies on philanthropists, as he is the only breadwinner for his family. However, this support is sufficient because it does not continue.
Marwan lives in a tragic situation, as he lacks the most basic necessities of life. He is one of the many who lost their jobs due to war disabilities, and there are no official statistics that monitor their accurate numbers in reality.
What was even worse, Marwan had lost his father and two siblings as a result of a shell that fell on their house six years ago which has resulted in his mother's disability.
Al-Omari recounts his suffering with disability, saying: “I lost all the toes of my right foot, and three of my left. My hand was partially deformed and I lost movement.” He added: “I underwent surgery, which cost me one million nine hundred and twenty thousand, approximately $1800, as it cost him Fifty thousand riyals to amputate each finger.”, knowing that the amount was donated by benefactors and some friends.
Psychological effects
Amputees are psychologically affected, and the impact may lead them to enter into a state of collapse and depression, as Marwan says that the disability has exhausted him psychologically: “Whenever I look at my disability and my inability to meet the requirements of my family, I feel all doors are closed in front of me".
The number of people who had to have amputations in Taiz governorate reached about 800, of whom about 70% are young people between the ages of 18 and 32 years, including 59 women and 36 children, according to a statement by the Director of the Limb Center at Al-Thawra Hospital in Taiz
In the same context, the psychosocial support specialist, Wadae Al-Mikhlafi, confirms, in an interview with "Khuyut", that amputees face psychological difficulties in adapting with themselves and with the social and material environment, and they also find it difficult to return to their normal lives, as a result of the changes that have occurred in their bodies.
Al-Mikhlafi points out that the most important symptoms and psychological effects of amputation are what is known as (the negative image of the body), and it means that people who experience the loss of a limb affect their self-esteem and respect, as well as feelings of anxiety and tension which are serious symptoms that may be difficult to control or deal with easily.
For his part, the Director of the Limb Center at Al-Thawra Hospital in Taiz Governorate, Dr. Mansour Al-Wazei, confirms that most of the cases received by the center suffer from a state of collapse, as a result of amputation and the subsequent sitting in homes for periods ranging from three to four months.
Psychosocial support for amputees is an essential part of the rehabilitation and psychological care process. “The Limb Center provides free services, including: prosthetic limbs, prosthetic devices, physiotherapy sessions, movement rehabilitation, in addition to psychological support,” Al-Wazei says.
Bullying and Exclusion
Amputees are more likely to face societal bullying, due to the lack of awareness among individuals and the inadequate performance of the authorities concerned with awareness and social education. Al-Omari says: “People call me, you are disabled, or hand scissors, you are not considered a human being". He continues: "This dealing made me lose confidence in myself, and increased my sense of nihilism and uselessness."
People with disabilities suffer from marginalization of even their most basic rights, despite the increase in their numbers as a result of the war. Activist Maha Aoun told "Khuyut", "the role of the concerned authorities is completely absent, especially during the war, and most of the contributions and relief provided to this segment are usually provided by civil society organizations and philanthropists." Aoun adds: "Specialized authorities may take the initiative to provide some support, but not to those who lost their limbs as affected."
Aoun talks about the importance of the role of activists and civil society organizations in amplifying their voices and putting pressure on decision-makers in order to find solutions that alleviate their suffering.
It is worth noting that the number of those who had to undergo amputations in Taiz governorate amounted to nearly 800 people, of whom approximately 70% are young people between the ages of 18 and 32 years, including 59 women and 36 children, according to a statement by the Director of the Limb Center at Al-Thawra Hospital in Taiz. , who also indicated that approximately 70% of the casualties were caused by landmines, which the Ansar Allah group (Houthis) deliberately planted in the areas of confrontations and the areas under its control in Taiz, in addition to other injuries caused by mortar shells and snipers.
In a related development, Amnesty International said that the percentage of people with disabilities reaches 15% of the total population of Yemen estimated at 30 million, as there is no official statistics by the competent authorities in Yemen.
Al-Omari dreams that the war will end, which may cause harm and disability to civilians. He also looks forward to being paid attention to and finding practical solutions that will help disabled people to resume their work in order to support their families.
