Baking for the front lines: Yemeni women revive wartime support for fighters

Baking for the front lines: Yemeni women revive wartime support for fighters

Submitted by MEE correspondent on Tue, 09/15/2026 - 13:00 As fighting escalates, women deliver baked goods to boost morale at the front
'I feel that baking these biscuits and preparing preserved food is the least I can do for fighters,' says Naseem al-Odaini (MEE) Off

Early in the morning, with a large bowl at the ready and the oven heating up, Naseem al-Odaini and her friends begin kneading dough to bake date-filled pastries and biscuits.

The baked goods will be sent to the front lines, carrying a message of solidarity from the women who made them: "Women stand beside you."

For years, Yemeni women have gathered in kitchens to support government forces during periods of intense conflict.

"We started this initiative in 2015, but it was halted for more than four years when the fighting subsided. Today, we are reviving it following the new escalation in Taiz governorate," Odaini told Middle East Eye.

On 3 September, Houthi forces launched a major offensive against government positions in Hodeidah and Taiz governorates, seizing control of the remaining districts of Hodeidah, the city of Mocha, as well as the Bab al-Mandab Strait and Mayyun Island.

Fierce clashes continue across western Taiz governorate, where Houthi forces have made minor advances, while sporadic fighting persists along the eastern front of Taiz city.

Naseem believes women in the city have a duty to support fighters by providing food, essential medical supplies, and whatever else they can to boost morale.

She bakes large quantities of pastries, funded not only by her own savings, but also through donations from personal acquaintances and social media supporters.

"The support base has grown significantly compared to previous years, with many women from both inside and outside Taiz eager to participate," she said. "I did not expect this level of support, especially after being inactive for more than four years. I was truly surprised."

To ensure safety, she noted that they do not accept prepared food from unknown sources. Instead, they ask donors to purchase ingredients, such as flour and cooking oil, from trusted vendors and provide the receipt.

Women reach the front lines

Many women support fighters by sending supplies through reliable channels, while others, like Naseem, prefer to visit the front lines in person.

"Since 2015, my colleagues in the initiative and I have gone to the front lines ourselves to deliver food directly to the fighters. Three of my colleagues were killed on the front lines, but I continued delivering the food myself," she said.

Naseem added that Moamen, Osama, and Reham were active members of the food-support initiative before they were killed while delivering supplies to the front.

"When I reach the front lines and see the fighters enduring the scorching sun and freezing cold, I feel that baking these biscuits and preparing preserved food is the least I can do for them," she said.

Rather than deterring Naseem, the loss of her colleagues deepened her commitment to carrying on their mission.

Describing the fighters' reactions when she reached them last week, Naseem said: "They were overjoyed when I arrived, telling me, 'We don't care as much about the biscuits as we do about your presence among us, it gives us immense psychological support.'"

While active in providing front-line meals, Naseem stressed that this is not the only role women play in the conflict.

"Women have played a central role in the war," she said. "Many have lost their primary breadwinners and were forced to enter the workforce to support their families."

'A city behind them'

Israa al-Tayeb’s mother, Tufahah, was killed during the 2011 revolution against former president Ali Abdullah Saleh amid protests at Taiz’s Freedom Square.

Like Naseem, Tayeb began baking for fighters in 2015 before halting operations in 2022. Now, following the latest escalation, she is back at work, with her initiative operating on a larger scale than ever before.

"Women from everywhere have been supporting us, and we have provided fighters with biscuits, milk, water, and other essentials," Tayeb told Middle East Eye. "Today is our sixth day of almost non-stop work, but we do not feel tired because we know this food is reaching those who deserve it."

'When I see a car loaded with food arrive at the front line, I feel...that we are not alone'

- Ahmed, fighter

Unlike Naseem, Tayeb does not travel to the front lines herself; instead, she sends supplies through trusted intermediaries, noting that high demand requires her team to operate systematically.

"Some members are responsible for collecting cash donations and buying ingredients from the market, others handle the baking and packaging, while a separate group delivers the supplies to the front," she said.

Tayeb added that many women who are unable to bake contribute financially instead. Using these donations, Tayeb and her team operate out of a small kitchen.

"We didn't realise we could provide this much support, but with the donations coming in, we have managed to scale up," she said.

Beyond her desire to help, feedback from the front lines drives Tayeb to keep going.

"These biscuits, milk, and water make the fighters feel that the entire city stands behind them, so we will continue," she said.

Baking for fighters is not unique to Taiz governorate; it is widespread across Yemen, with women in Houthi-controlled areas also preparing food for fighters, particularly during major religious observances.

Psychological boost

Men have also supported frontline fighters with food, essential medical supplies, blankets, water, milk and other basic necessities as an expression of solidarity.

Ahmed*, a pseudonym for a fighter in western Taiz city, said that front-line units are happy with this support. He added that lightweight, non-perishable food plays a key role in sustaining them, while providing a significant psychological boost.

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"When I see a car loaded with food arrive at the front line, I feel as though the entire governorate is fighting alongside us and that we are not alone," Ahmed told MEE. 

He noted that while civilians typically flee combat zones to seek safety, some insist on staying behind to support the troops with meals and supplies.

"We all belong to this governorate, and everyone has a role to play," Ahmed added. "While we fight on the front, others contribute financially, and women refuse to sit idly by – they bake for us."

Psychological expert Hail al-Fakeeh believes that home-baked goods carry a deeper emotional weight than purchasing ready-made food or providing financial aid, because the food is prepared directly in the homes the soldiers are fighting to protect.

"These biscuits connect the fighter on the front line emotionally to home, sending a powerful message that the people back in the city stand with them," Fakeeh told MEE. "It goes far beyond basic material support."

He added that this practice is a long-standing Yemeni tradition passed down through generations, with women across the country historically preparing home-baked goods for fighters to raise their morale during combat.

Yemen War Taiz, Yemen News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0