SANAA, Yemen — Every morning, Abdul Qader Khaled, a resident of Yemen's Sanaa, arrives early at a modest charity kitchen, joining the line to collect a free meal for his family of five.

He clutches plastic containers and worn bags, waiting patiently for the day's ration.

"I come here early every day," he said. "Sometimes I worry I might return home empty-handed. But thankfully, the kitchen manager calls my name, and I can take a meal back for my family."

For Khaled and hundreds of local residents, the free meals offered by the kitchen run by its director, Abu Badr al-Yamani, with the help of local volunteers and supported by community donations, are one of the things they look forward to each day.

According to al-Yamani, the kitchen prepares large pots of food every day to meet the needs of more than 500 families, including the poor, the sick, the unemployed, and low-income households.

"The joy of those in need receiving this bag of food is immense, and it is a great blessing … It gives us even more motivation to help them, even though this meal is nothing compared to their needs," al-Yamani said.

Despite limited resources, volunteers say they remain committed to the food distribution program, determined to ease the burden on vulnerable families even as broader humanitarian challenges endure.

Abu Zaid, one of the volunteers, expressed his joy in helping the needy. "Honestly, I forget all my tiredness when I see children smile as they receive these free meals," he said.

Inside the small kitchen, some volunteers work around huge pots of simmering food, while others rush to fill containers with modest portions, trying to serve as many people as possible before the day's supplies run out.

Yaser al-Absi, a volunteer cook, said that helping those in need gives him a sense of peace.

"When we bring joy and smiles to people who truly need it, we feel an indescribable happiness and calm," he told Xinhua, "especially when we see the food reach those who truly deserve it."

Al-Yamani and the volunteers' efforts are part of a broader response to a humanitarian crisis affecting millions.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since 2014. The protracted conflict has created one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises.

The United Nations has warned that Yemen is facing another year of severe humanitarian challenges, with more than 22 million people expected to require assistance in 2026.

For many families in Sanaa, the daily line outside the small charitable kitchen remains a simple but vital source of hope and survival.

Economic hardships

However, despite ongoing relief efforts, local observers report that the number of people seeking assistance has increased in recent months, highlighting the broader economic hardships faced by many households.

Beyond the ongoing domestic conflict, the escalation of regional crises is adding further uncertainty.

Humanitarian concerns have intensified amid fears that regional tensions sparked by Israeli-US attacks on Iran could spill over into Yemen and further worsen conditions in the country.

"As we watch developments in the region, there is growing worry that continued tensions and escalation could further strain Yemen's already fragile humanitarian situation," said Abdul Rahman Yahya, a Yemeni politician.

XINHUA