Landmines are a daily danger in Yemen

A simple walk in the countryside is dangerous

Saif Nasir lives in Al-Bayda, Yemen, where he works as a farmer to support his family of six. In May 2024, he went for a walk in the mountains near his village. He knew the area was a frontline in the previous years, but there were no warning signs or indicators of any danger along his path. As he walked, a landmine hidden in the ground suddenly detonated under his right foot.

Villagers from a nearby community rushed to the scene and found Saif severely injured. He had a devastating wound to his right leg, injuries to his left leg, and to his eye. With no health center nearby, he was rushed to Dhamar General Hospital (a 3-hour drive from the accident), where doctors had to perform a below-the-knee amputation on his right leg.

For nearly a year and a half, Saif remained under medical supervision to treat his physical wounds, while simultaneously struggling with immense psychological shock and distress. He was forced to rely on crutches, and his life as an active farmer and provider was completely upended.

HI center: A turning point for Saif

A turning point in Saif’s recovery came in January 2026, when his eldest son heard through the media that HI just opened a Physical Rehabilitation Center in Hajjah. The center provides patients with modern, free-of-charge prosthetic limbs. In February 2026, traveling from his village, Saif arrived at the Hajjah center walking on crutches.

Upon his arrival, Saif's limb was thoroughly evaluated by both a physical therapy specialist and a prosthetics specialist. Once his limb was ready for fitting, the team took his measurements to create a prosthesis that very same day.

Two weeks later, Saif began intensive training with his new prosthetic limb. Alongside physical rehabilitation, HI provided crucial psychosocial support sessions for both Saif and his caregiver for two weeks to help them cope with the trauma.

"I just want to stand and walk independently again,” Saif says. “I want to return to my farm, support my family, and provide for my children. I want to reclaim my life and be active as I used to be."

After two weeks, he was able to walk with his prosthetic limb. He returned to his village to live his life anew.

"I hope people can be warned against walking into areas littered with ammunition, explosives, and remnants of war, so that my suffering is never repeated with anyone else."