Daijiworld Media Network – Sanna

Sanaa, Apr 16: In war-ravaged Sanaa, childhood has been replaced by survival for many young boys like 14-year-old Qasim, who spends his mornings collecting plastic bottles to support his family instead of attending school.

Carrying a sack through the streets each day, Qasim manages to earn up to 1,500 Yemeni riyals (around $3), which helps provide food for his six-member household. In the afternoon, his younger brother Asem takes over the same task, ensuring the family can afford dinner.

Education, once a pathway to a better future, has now become a distant dream. Qasim dropped out in 2024 while in the fourth grade, followed by his brother a year later, as the family struggled to meet daily needs.

“I wanted to help provide for my family. Sitting in the classroom would not feed me,” Qasim said, reflecting the harsh reality faced by millions of children in conflict-hit Yemen.

According to UNICEF, over 3.2 million school-aged children in Yemen are currently out of school, with another 1.5 million at risk of permanent dropout. Years of conflict, economic collapse, and displacement have severely disrupted the country’s education system.

Qasim’s father, a daily wage labourer, believes survival takes precedence over schooling. “Seeing a hungry child is more painful than seeing a child drop out,” he said, echoing a growing sentiment among struggling families.

Experts warn that this shift could have long-term consequences. Academics and social workers highlight that child labour not only deprives children of their rights but also exposes them to physical and psychological risks, while undermining the country’s future workforce.

The situation is further aggravated by widespread damage to infrastructure. Thousands of schools have been destroyed, repurposed, or remain non-functional. Even operational schools face overcrowding and a shortage of motivated teachers, many of whom have gone unpaid for years.

With limited humanitarian aid and ongoing economic instability, the crisis shows little sign of easing. Observers caution that without sustained peace and economic recovery, more children will be forced out of classrooms and into labour.

For Qasim, however, the hope of returning to school has faded. Instead, he now dreams of learning a trade to survive. “I want to learn painting, carpentry or welding,” he said. “I will not return to the classroom.”