Yemeni women shift from baking cookies to funding weapons for Taiz defenders

When Houthi fighters intensified their siege of the government-held city of Taiz in early September, local women first organized cookie-baking and food convoys to support front-line troops. As the conflict escalated and supplies dwindled, donors began insisting that contributions be used to purchase ammunition, prompting volunteers to broaden their fundraising to include weapons procurement. Activists Amira al-Saghir, Huriya Wabel and Khadija al-Majidi describe feeling compelled to act as the city faces daily shelling and a looming invasion.

Their efforts now involve collecting cash, gold jewellery and even personal items like wedding rings to fund rifles and ammo. On October 8, the women’s branch of Taiz’s Supreme Council for Popular Resistance announced a campaign to arm 10,000 pro-government fighters, seeking contributions from Yemenis at home and abroad. The initiative reflects the desperate humanitarian and military situation created by the renewed Houthi offensive that has also seized the port of Mocha and threatened key routes into the provincial capital.