A nonprofit organization based in Southeast Michigan, the United Humanitarian Foundation (UHF), continues its efforts of giving back at the local, national and international level. 

Founded in 2017 by Saeed Haidara, the UHF began its humanitarian work in Yemen following the emergence of the war throughout the country. 

The UHF has done various things throughout Yemen to help those struggling, including building homes housing hundreds of Yemenis, establishing a charity bakery that feeds close to 3,000 Yemenis daily, distributing water tanks across the country to provide them with clean water and creating a sewing project that empowers women to earn their own living.

United Humanitarian Foundation (UHF) founder Saeed Haidara at a distribution point in Yemen. – Photo a courtesy of UHF

Eman Ali-Ahmed, the executive director of the UHF, told The Arab American News there was an increased demand for basic humanitarian needs across Yemen due to the effects of the war, and the UHF has worked to combat the ravages that have impacted Yemenis’ livelihoods. 

Various projects the UHF has established provide the Yemeni people with an opportunity to work, whether it be the baker in the charity bakery, or the individual who delivers the clean water or even the women who are learning how to sew. There are economic opportunities contingent with the humanitarian work the UHF provides.

Along with actively donating and giving back to people in Yemen, the UHF also provides individuals with tools to make a living for themselves. The UHF Sewing Project trains women in Yemen on how to sew, empowering them to earn an income and support themselves and their families. 

Various projects the UHF has established provide the Yemeni people with an opportunity to work, whether it be the baker in the charity bakery, or the individual who delivers the clean water or even the women who are learning how to sew. There are economic opportunities contingent with the humanitarian work the UHF provides.

The UHF’s local humanitarian work entails food drives, book drives, working in soup kitchens and overall lending support to those who need it.

“When we started UHF, when we began to work with UHF, we wanted to do things locally, so it’s not just helping people overseas but also helping people in our backyard,” Ahmed said.

She shared that the humanitarian closet the UHF opened within a soup kitchen building in Detroit offers hygiene products, clothing, jackets and other products needed for one’s well-being.

During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ahmed said they ran COVID testing sites for individuals in the south and east end of Dearborn, allowing families to get tested close to home rather than forcing them to travel to various clinics that may be a bit of a commute. She shared that the south and east ends of Dearborn are home to many immigrant families, so these testing sites gave them access to essential tests that they may not have been able to access otherwise.

She said they started the testings only once a week and then with popular demand began running them three times a week.

UHF is volunteer and donation-based organization, so Ahmed expressed her appreciation for all those who give their time and support to their cause, as well as to those who will volunteer in the future.  She also stated they try to empower the youth to get involved and lend a hand to serve humanity.

“It’s a special organization because it kind of attracts the people who really just want to do this work not because of monetary reasons or not because they want to get paid, but because they just really want to help,” Ahmed said.

She highlighted UHF’s continuous efforts to serve all of humanity, whether it be across the pond, in our backyard or across the country. UHF is designed to help those who need it.

“It’s established to serve humanity and those in need at the local, national, and international level,” she said.

UHF is currently taking donations and volunteers, if interested you can visit their website at https://uhfrelief.org.