IOM Yemen: Acts of Compassion: Nouf and Khalid Light the Way for Healing

By:

• Sahar Al-Shawafi | Graphic Design Assistant
• Ayoub Al-Ahmadi | Senior Translation Assistant

Ma'rib, Yemen – Dr. Nouf moves briskly from patient to patient wearing her mask and gloves, with a stethoscope resting around her neck. Driven by her strong passion to help the vulnerable, she chose to work with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) at the Migrant Response Point (MRP) in Ma'rib.

Her journey into humanitarian work began after years of serving in hospitals in Aden, where she witnessed firsthand the struggles vulnerable communities face in accessing healthcare services.

“In Aden, I worked at a private hospital,” Nouf recalls. “I found that many people couldn’t afford treatment. That reality pushed me to find a way to help those left behind.”

At a certain point, she decided to relocate to Ma'rib, a city sheltering hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the conflict and a key transit hub for migrants making the perilous journey from the Horn of Africa through Yemen.

She had a clear goal in mind: to serve those who could not afford medical treatment—migrants, displaced people, and persons with disabilities.

Nouf found her calling at the MRP, which provides primary healthcare services to vulnerable groups, especially people on the move.

“Migrants who reach us are traumatized,” she explains. “Whether it’s hunger, fear of death, or the unknown, it results in physical, psychological, or neurological shocks.”

Many arrive with serious, sometimes permanent, injuries. Women in particular often carry visible and invisible scars from abuse suffered along irregular migration routes into the country.

“There are times when I emotionally struggle with what I see and hear,” she admits. “But helping these people and watching them recover fuels my passion and determination to continue.”

 Nouf listens to their stories—the pain, the fear, the resilience—and does everything she can to help. She assesses each case, provides emergency support, and when needed, refers patients to specialized services.

“At the MRP we provide treatment for contagious diseases as well as care for physical and psychological traumas.” she clarifies. “We also offer protection services for survivors and victims who experienced violence, exploitation and abuse and refer patients with severe conditions to tertiary healthcare facilities as needed.”

Dr. Nouf is not alone in this mission of saving lives and helping fellow human beings. She works together with a dedicated team of colleagues from diverse backgrounds who tirelessly attend to numerous patients each day.

Among those working alongside Nouf is Khalid, a 22-year-old Ethiopian whose own migration journey to Ma'rib is a testament to resilience and compassion.

Khalid arrived in Yemen in 2021, heartbroken after his school in Ethiopia refused to let him return due to illness-related absence.

Frustrated, he left Ethiopia with smugglers, enduring a grueling ten-day trek through the desert and surviving on shared biscuits. Upon reaching Aden, he found no comfort or assistance. So, he continued his journey to Ma'rib where some of his relatives live.

In Ma'rib, Khalid was welcomed by his community. They brought him clothes and hosted him. A month later, he began working as a cleaner at a local hospital, a job he held for three years.

At the hospital, Khalid encountered other migrants seeking treatment and advocated for their care. He spoke with administrators, urging them to treat these vulnerable individuals for free. His reputation grew, and soon, anyone in need turned to Khalid for help.

“I help other migrants because I’ve been through the same experience,” Khalid says. “I know how support can make the suffering less.”

Eventually, Khalid received the opportunity to work in the MRP, where he can help migrants access services and provide translation support.

“People arrive here suffering from poor nutrition, amoebiasis and malaria. Some bear physical injuries caused during torture for ransom at the hands of traffickers,” Khalid explains.

Nouf and Khalid choose to see, to listen, and to act. Through their work at the MRP in Ma'rib, they continue to deliver life-saving assistance to migrants and Yemenis in need.

“I am thankful to the donors who keep this facility running. It save lives every day through vital healthcare services,” Khalid concludes

The IOM MRP in Ma'rib is supported by the European Union Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

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