The Unyielding Spirit of Ramadan in Yemen’s Displacement Camps Ma’rib, Yemen.

For Salha, a mother of five who fled airstrikes near her home in Mar’ib’s Medghal district, Ramadan was once a time of peace, reflection, and unity. Before the conflict turned their lives upside down, her family lived off their small business, managing their daily needs and cherishing the special traditions of this holy month.

The shift from familiar routines to the harsh reality of displacement has stripped many families of the joy that once defined this sacred time. Salha remembers the first Ramadan in the camp as as one of the most difficult periods in her life. With no running water, she spent every morning collecting what her family needed, juggling the daily fight to survive with the desire to honour Ramadan. The sense of peace that once accompanied this month was replaced by constant worry and hardship.

In war-torn Yemen, Ramadan arrives each year against a backdrop of growing adversity. The country’s decade-long conflict has left more than half of the population food insecure, with an estimated 17.1 million people struggling to access basic nutrition, according to the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan.

For families in displacement sites, this month of fasting is marked not only by spiritual devotion but by the daily challenge of securing enough food to break their fast. With limited income and soaring food prices, the simple act of preparing Iftar – the evening meal that ends the day’s fast – has become a daunting task.

In Saylat Almil camp, far from the comforts of Salha’s village, Ramadan traditions are a distant memory for many. Families scrape together whatever they can, with few income opportunities to rely on. For many, dates, rice and bread are often the only items on the table – if they’re lucky.

Daily Battles

Salha and her husband do their best to share the load during Ramadan, both trying to keep the family afloat. Every morning, her husband sets out early, hoping to find daily work that might cover their basic needs. But with wages scarce and inconsistent, he often comes home empty-handed and weighed down by growing debts. A simple visit to the market is filled with anxiety, making even basic ingredients feel out of reach.

Back at the camp, Salha spends her day in a small tent that doubles as both kitchen and living space. Preparing Iftar is always a challenge, as she struggles to come up with a proper meal with only a few ingredients at hand.

For many families, cooking in the same cramped space where they sleep poses constant risks. With no proper shelter arrangements, the risk of fire is always on their mind, especially during Ramadan. Preparing Sohoor – the pre-dawn meal – often means lighting stoves in the middle of the night while the children sleep just a few feet away from gas cylinders.