U.N. pleads for billions to avert Yemen famine

The United Nations is pleading for member states to help it raise $3.85 billion in a donations drive; money it says is needed to avoid wide-scale and "man-made" famine in Yemen's civil war.

The U.N. has warned that the country has been on the brink of famine for a long time. The war has lasted for six years, collapsed government services, and its economy.

400,000 children there, like Ahmadiya Juaidi, are already severely malnourished according to the U.N.

She only weighed 20 pounds when she was admitted to a hospital in Sanaa a few weeks ago. She's said to be 13 years old.

Her brother, Muhammad, tells us that Ahmadiya's condition has improved but they're afraid to go back to their home in the countryside, because with a lack of income and food, she'll just deteriorate again.

The U.N. was able to avoid mass starvation here in 2018 and 2019 because of well-funded donation drives, including large amounts from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait.

But that plunged last year. The U.N. received only half of what it needed. It's imploring members again to pledge generously, and pledge quickly.

The U.N. also accepts small donations from individuals.