UNDP Yemen: Young Women Entrepreneurs in Yemen: Vocational Training in the Digital Age

In Yemen, a new wave of entrepreneurship is emerging in the digital age, driven by the determination and resilience of young women. Pioneering young Yemeni women are revolutionizing the field of cellphone maintenance, blending technical expertise with business aspirations. In today’s digital age, cellphones are a household item, making their repair and upkeep a lucrative business. 

By participating in innovative training programmes that enhance vocational and entrepreneurial skills, Yemeni women gain access to diverse income sources and job opportunities, achieving financial independence, and ultimately benefitting their wider communities by stimulating the local economy and fostering stability and resilience. 

With generous funding from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Yemen, with local partner, the Small and Micro Enterprises Promotion Service (SMEPS), is paving the path for young Yemeni women to create sustainable businesses and contribute significantly to the economic recovery of their communities. Their stories of success and impact illustrate the profound potential of empowering young women in traditionally male-dominated fields, paving the way for a brighter and more inclusive future for all.

Abtahl, a trainee from Taizz Governorate, Al Shamayatain District, reflects on the training: “Through mobile maintenance training, I have gained invaluable knowledge and hands-on experience. This training has equipped me with the confidence and skills to understand and fix common cellphone malfunctions. As a result, I have not only mastered technical aspects but also embraced entrepreneurship, enabling me to earn an income, serve other women, and contribute to my community’s economic development. This journey has significantly improved my income and empowered me to share my skills and knowledge with other women, fostering economic growth and self-sufficiency.”

The Vocational and Business Skills Training and Support Project (Phase II) supports the participation of women in community committees and access to technical training for vulnerable young women and men in rural areas. With a focus on women especially, the project supports access to long-term income opportunities, ensuring community members can become economically self-reliant to address their household priorities, as well as providing needed services to community members. 

Jawdat, a trainee from Lahj Governorate, Tuban District, discusses about how young women have become experts in the cellphone maintenance field: “Women in Yemen have become pioneers in cellphone maintenance thanks to experience and skills. By participating in training courses, they have successfully qualified for the labor market, enabling them to earn a profit.” 

Jawdat shares her experience: “The vocational and business skills training has provided me with invaluable experience, including building my self-confidence, learning how to effectively deal with customers, and gaining a deep understanding of marketing, suppliers, and competitors. This training has not only helped me meet the needs of my community but also allowed me to start my own project, significantly improving my living situation.”

Basma, a trainee from Lahj Governorate, Tuban District, notes the importance of the participation of women in vocational training.

“The participation and cooperation of women is essential. When women work together, they can achieve anything with greater efficiency. Sharing knowledge and experiences facilitates the flow of information, paving the way for significant success and breaking down barriers.” 

 “Collaboration is key for women entrepreneurs, as it creates a strong sense of team spirit and collective empowerment,” Basma notes. 

When youth have adequate training and access to financial services to sustain their livelihoods through micro and small businesses, they foster a culture of entrepreneurship. This, in turn, enhances employability and promotes productive engagement, contributing significantly to the recovery and resilience of Yemeni communities. Thus, enhancing the business and entrepreneurial skills of youth is vital to sustainable development. Empowering youth through skills development helps mitigate the immediate impact of crises by creating more resilient livelihoods and laying the foundation for sustainable recovery and development, contributing to the Humanitarian-Peace-Development (HDP) Nexus in Yemen. The HDP Nexus refers to the linkages between humanitarian, development, and peace actions, focusing on the comparative advantage of each, in order to address the root causes of conflict and vulnerability.

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The Vocational and Business Skills Training and Support Project (Phase II) aims to empower 1533 young women and men in rural areas with vocational, technical, and business skills, and nurture a culture of entrepreneurship to enhance their employability and productive engagement in economic and local recovery activities. This project is funded by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief). The project provides grants and technical training on a wide variety of in-demand professions across nine governorates and 24 districts:  Abyan (Ahwar and Khanfir), Lahj (Al-Maqatera, Al-Qabaita, Radfan, Ras Al-Arah, Tuban), Aden (Daar Saad), Marib (Marib), Shabwah (Ar rawdah, Merkhah as sufla and Rudum), Hadramaut (Al-Mukalla, Al-Qatn, Ash shihr, Tareem), Al Maharah (Al-Ghaydah and Huswain), Ad dhale’e (Ad dhale'e and Al-Azariq), and Taiz (Al-Shamayatain Salah, Mawza and Al-Waziya). The project builds participants’ capacities in the areas of food processing, textiles and handloom, and vocational skills such as car mechanics, carpentry, cell phone repairs, home appliance maintenance, veterinary services, and solar energy systems installation and maintenance.