Who we are

The Yemen Foundation against Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia (YFAAD), a Yemeni non-profit organization, was established in September 2019 under permit No (55) of 2019, issued by Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, as a civil society organization and a member of Alzheimer’s Disease International. The goals of the foundation were created from the reality of the situation in Yemen regarding Alzheimer’s disease and dementia as well as inspired by the work plan of the World Health Organization (The Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017-2025). It continues its activities to achieve its goals by implementing various humanitarian, awareness-raising, development and service projects to help Alzheimer and dementia patients in the Republic of Yemen in partnership with local and international donors and supporters.

Objectives of the Foundation

Raising awareness and spreading knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in the Yemeni society and ways to prevent it, how the disease is not considered a natural consequence of aging, helping people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia to receive outstanding care and support from caregivers, their families and their communities by raising awareness and training caregivers to provide better care and learn skills in dealing with Alzheimer patients and communicating with them professionally so that the patient has a decent life with quality and meaning that helps him/her to overcome the difficulties of the various phases of the disease with respect, appreciation and humanity.  

 

Also to support caregivers with consultation and organising caregivers gatherings where they can meet, exchange experiences and have fun too, YFAAD had a large group of caregivers  who communicate through what’s app group and emotional venting gatherings.

Our vision

By spreading awareness and knowledge about Alzheimer and dementia, we can change the painful reality for people living with Alzheimer and alleviate their suffering and help them live with dignity and reach a society that understands the nature of their illness and is able to deal more effectively with people living with Alzheimer with a lot of compassion and respect.

Our values

We are a humanitarian organisation that draws its values from the principles of our Islamic religion, which emphasizes compassion and respect for all our elders especially our parents as God almighty says in his Holy Book: “If either or both of them should attain old age while you are alive, say not `ugh’ to them, nor chide them, and speak kindly to them. Lower to them the wing of humility out of tenderness and pray: Lord have mercy upon them as they brought me up when I was little” (17:25). From here we draw our morals, values and principles of caring for our elders and being compassionate to them as they were to us and making every effort towards realising a decent life for them when they are ill as well as when they are healthy.

Transparency

We believe in transparency and sincerity in everything we do, exploring challenges we come across and sharing our successes with others. We make sure we communicate and present our results regularly, so that our partners and stakeholders can be confident that we will inform them how we are using our sources and achieving our goals.

Empathy

Empathy is the human emotion that comes in response to the suffering of others and is always accompanied by strong desire to help alleviate and remove the suffering. Suffering is at the heart of everything Yemen Foundation against Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia does. We give and seek to be a “balm” for people living with Alzheimer and their caregivers during difficult times.

Respect and confidentiality

At the Yemen Foundation against Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia, we work to foster trust and respect between us and people with Alzheimer and their families, caregivers and other professionals working in this field. We endeavor to maintain confidentiality regarding personal data of for people living with Alzheimer and their caregivers we work with.

Objective

The Foundation aims to spread awareness and knowledge on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and ways to prevent it among the families and caregivers of the patient, health personnel, doctors especially neurologists and students of public health, nursing, nutrition and medical sciences and the Yemeni society in a step that would enhance the control of the increase in Alzheimer patients among the elder in Yemen, especially since the onset of the invasion entering the 10^th year in March 2024 and its devastating impact on the mental health of Yemenis, the economic blockade and the hardships of life. According to studies, stress and anxiety are one of the main causes of Alzheimer’s disease. The objectives of the Foundation are as follows:

1. Raising awareness on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, including the nature of the disease, its types, its causes, early diagnosis, the impact of the disease on the brain, its consequences in terms of the changes in the psychology and behaviour of the person, as well as its impact on the family, caregivers and the Yemeni society as a whole.
2. Promoting the importance of early diagnosis in stabilizing the patient’s condition and preventing rapid deterioration. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia is not known in Yemen. The symptoms of the disease may be confused at first sight with the symptoms of aging. This may hinder the process of early diagnosis of the disease and delays the diagnosis, leading to the spreading of the disease in the patient’s brain.
3. Training of caregivers on providing care to the patients at home and how to communicate with them despite the deterioration of their communication abilities due to the disease. Also, and most importantly, to take care of themselves so that they can take care of the patient. Here the Foundation contributes to creating a group for recreation and venting through which caregivers can meet each other and exchange views and experiences and feel that they are not alone.
4. Training and creating a base of qualified health professionals who can support the patient at home or in the health centre during the different stages of the disease.
5. Fighting the stigma associated with the disease by knowing its causes and how to address the misconceptions resulting from the lack of knowledge about the nature of the disease.
6. Alleviate the social isolation suffered by the Alzheimer and dementia patients due to the nature of the disease and the stigma that surrounds it, thus helping patients to integrate naturally into society.
7. Advocacy to support Alzheimer and dementia patients and the formulation of health policies to ensure the rights of patients and facilitate their access to the services they need.