Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2015 22:27:39 +0200
These rare images are a reminder of the beauty of everyday life in Yemen despite the brutal war.
The images most often associated with Yemen today are those of war, poverty and dire humanitarian crises.
More than 5,000 people have been killed in Yemen and over 1.4 million have been internally displaced since the launch of Saudi-led airstrikes. With 80 percent of the country in urgent need of food, water and medical supplies, "it is becoming impossible to survive," said Nuha Abdul Jabber, Oxfam’s humanitarian program manager in Yemen.
Yemeni photographer Thana Faroq, who is based in Sanaa, set out to prove that life exists beyond the war. On the Facebook page Everyday Yemen, she collects stunning images of life beyond the fighting -- vendors laughing in the market, children giggling on a curb, a game of darts in the streets.
Yemen was once a pivotal crossroads for travel and commerce, flourishing as a center of the textile and spice trades. The country is considered the birthplace of coffee and continues to celebrate rich customs and traditions, including creating impressive works of literature and theater.
"The purpose was to show that love and peace could exist amidst destruction and death," Faroq said in an email. "I aimed to tell stories of coping and resilience and that ordinary people could be heroes as well."
Take a look at the heartwarming images below, which continue to prove that life exists beyond the war.
A group of children photographed while exploring the empty streets. 
A family walks near the Saleh Mosque on Oct. 24, 2014. 
Children play outside, May 30, 2015. 
Without electricity, many residents turn to book shops like this one, seen on May 10, 2015. 
At a market on May 25, 2015. "Print our photo and bring it with you the next time," the men say. 
Three men sit in the old city of Sanaa on April 19, 2015. "�We are enjoying our cup of tea under the melody of those stupid jets hovering all over," one says. 
Neighbors and friends gather for breakfast during an airstrike, April 2, 2015. 
One of the grain grinders in town is about to shut down due to the absence of electricity and fuel. "This should be the busiest time of the year as the holy month of Ramadan is approaching and people rush to grind their flour!" he says. "I keep turning people away and you can imagine how my income has been affected." 
