Yemen, Lebanon Situations Important to Students

The summer of 2020 was a memorable one. Maybe for all of the wrong reasons; nonetheless, it was still an unforgettable one. 

As students across the country are starting to go  back to school, virtually, all of us are taking a look back at the summer, everything that’s happened, and how teens are responding to some of the world’s most recent events. 

There has been everything from an explosion in Lebanon, to a humanitarian crisis in Yemen this past summer.

Yemen, a country in the Middle East, has faced numerous problems during the past few years/decades. Many people in Yemen are starving and lack the proper resources they need to survive. Not only has poverty struck Yemen, but other countries are starting to bomb and destroy their country. Yemen has dealt with this situation for years, but it has only recently come to the attention of the public, specifically teens. Why now?

According to teens at Rangeview, they believe that they are the generation that can help end these issues. They believe they are well equipped with the motivation and education to help abolish these issues for good and create change for a better future. Not only are teens speaking up about these events, but they are also being affected. “The crisis in Yemen breaks my heart to see what these different families have to go through,” said sophomore Yeabsira Tsegaye. “All of the global issues are really disturbing and there is barely any good news to hear.”

Why are global events starting to be taken seriously now? Is it because there are so many going on at once that we can’t afford another one? Or is it because some of them are starting to affect the U.S.?

With everything already going on around the world like police brutality and the conditions of immigration detention centers, hearing another story about how people are suffering is hurting teens, causing them to take action. They can’t afford another bad story.

In addition to the other global events, there was also a recent, suspected bomb explosion in Lebanon that killed at least 70 people and injured over 3,000 on Tuesday, August 4th, according to Fox News.  The video of the explosion broke the internet, being shared across every social media platform. Because Yemen is lacking the resources they need to start working towards becoming a successful country, teens believe it to be their job to help them before it is too late. “We as a people and society should know what’s happening to others and how we can help and prevent this from happening in the future,” said sophomore Aiden Gamel. 

Our world is in an unusual state right now, and teens everywhere are starting to take charge and be the change they want to see. Their main source of sharing this information is through social media. Teens are signing petitions and encouraging others to do the same. They are the ones who are holding rallies and protests in their states and spreading awareness for these global problems because they want to inform, advocate, and demand change and support from people in power.

To prevent future events like the ones that have occurred this summer, students are educating others and future generations and making smarter choices so they can live in a world with a bright future where people are not suffering. 

“People can’t be smart enough to put their own feelings aside and continue to take action to help fix the world instead of continuing to destroy it,” said sophomore Alyssa Brazee. The condition of our world keeps getting worse and worse as time goes on. Islamic Relief USA is a website where you can choose to donate money to different disasters in different countries in the Middle East, including both the Yemen crisis and the Lebanon explosion. One thing is for sure: without support and action, it is very unlikely these conflicts will get better.