About Us:

Yemen has been engulfed in a proxy war for the last nine years, leaving the nation in one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

One of the main contributors to the war is resource scarcity, and as the nation plunges deeper into conflict, scarcity only exacerbates. With the majority of Yemen's population under the age of 25, providing aid and resources to secure a better future for the nation is essential when identifying diplomatic solutions.

Since our launch, Youth for Yemen has worked to educate students on the Yemeni humanitarian crisis. Born out of a passion for understanding the longevity of conflict in Yemen, Youth for Yemen connects students to raise awareness for providing aid to those impacted by conflict.

We are a group of youth who hope to bridge our passion for helping others in efforts to show the impact of unity, teamwork, and education. Our volunteers are passionate, giving, and determined to make a difference. We welcome you to join our family in the fight for change.

🖤 Youth for Yemen

Our Team:

In thirteen states and nine countries, our amazing volunteers exemplify the power of the youth in demanding change worldwide.

Virginia

Alex Joel
Andi Mlckovsky
Aya Khanji
Ayanna Nayar
Ben Gershman
Caroline Allen
Cheyenne Miley
Christian Herald
Ella Froemming
Gabrielle Davis
Iman Brin
Katie Liesenring
Katherine Butwill
Matthew Granovsky
Mina Lili Kassim
Natalie Roots
Noah Alexander
Olivia Eads
Rachael Fields

Maryland

Dareen Bradosti
Elizabeth Stepanov
Emma Frayberg
Gail Karimi
Johnny Szani
Layla Hilmi
Logan Cogdell
Manaal Malik
Michael Sweeney
Nikki Faroughi
Samir Mitri
Tommy Mitri
Yara Bradosti

Elias Eldadah

Yaseen Eldadah

Washington, DC

Brian Pena
Emma Frayberg
Isabella Top
Johnny Szani
Karina Evans-Schreiber
Katie Bennett
Logan Cogdell
Maya Jamdar
Michael Sweeney
Mina Lili Kassim

Phoebe Sanders

Alexandra Drakeford

Florida

Brian Pena
Katie Bennett
Layla Hilmi
Mia Rossi
Olivia Napolean

New Jersey

Emaan Pirzada
Katie Bennett
Shaezmina Khan

California

Karina Evans-Schreiber
Michael Sweeney
Shurui Lui

New York

Maya Jamdar
Olivia Robinson

Connecticut

Shaezmina Khan

Ohio

Indiana

Drew Polenske
Olivia Robinson

Gail Karimi
Isabella Top

Maine

Isabella Huang

Massachusetts

Natalie Pearl

Washington

Alexander Bruya

Oxford, UK

Benyamin Atabani
Emma Clark
Lara Ulkeroglu
Rachel Hadad
Shaezmina Khan
Younes Hilali
Zaira Christa

Geneva, CH

Istanbul, TR

Lara Ulkeroglu
Mina Lili Kassim

Iman Cevahir.

Naz Gyan Kassim

Lara Laleen Kassim

Nareen Kassim

Dubai, UAE

Aya Khanji
Dareen Bradosti

Yara Bradosti
Shams Al Jassar

Manama, BH

Paris, France

Benyamin Atabani

Khadija Maqsood

Younes Hilali

Ricardo Menzione Medici

Melek Amar

Lucie Dupont

Marrakesh, MA

London, UK

Brussles, BE

Farouk Morsi

Abdul Mohsen al Sabah

Farouk Morsi

Adriano Maria

Afla Mutat

Melek Amar

Member Spotlight

Meet Some of Our Team Members!

Founder

Mina Lili Kassim

Mina Kassim founded Youth for Yemen in 2020 after completing a two-year research project on Yemeni water scarcity. Motivated by how resource availability shapes political stability and Yemen’s future, Mina launched the organization to unite young people across countries, backgrounds, and perspectives in addressing the humanitarian crisis. Five years later, she continues to run the organization, finishing her studies at American University and hoping to attend law school.

Vice President

Layla Hilmi

Layla Hilmi is a founding member of Youth for Yemen, having joined in 2020. She began her tenure as president of the Maryland chapter, organizing fundraising initiatives at Wootton High School. Layla now leads a dedicated team of seven at the University of Miami, emphasizing education, advocacy, and collective action in the fight for change in Yemen. Graduating in 2026, she plans to attend law school and pursue further studies in international law.

Director of Operations

Benyamin Atabani

Benyamin Atabani brought Youth for Yemen to Oxford, collaborating closely with the Oxford Arab Society to organize fundraising and educational events. He has coordinated the organization’s partnership with UNDP and oversees team efforts ranging from high school to university initiatives. Fluent in seven languages, Benyamin is currently pursuing a dual degree in Languages and History at the University of Oxford.

Outreach Liason

Olivia Robinson

Olivia Robinson, currently attending Vassar College, joined Youth for Yemen driven by her deep alignment with its mission. Inspired by the fact that 75% of Yemen’s population is under the age of 25, she was moved by the potential of youth to bridge divides through shared passion and education. In her own words, Olivia describes being "blown away by how powerful a passion for helping youth can be in bridging gaps," emphasizing education as a key force for change.