Overcoming adversity: UNDP supporting to Yemeni communities

Aden – Seed grants for 12 community initiatives and 400 micro-businesses have been provided by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Yemen, in partnership with For All Foundation (FAF) and Oxfam. The projects helped nearly 407,000 people gain improved access to services such as schools, health centers and solar projects. They took place in two geographic areas in Yemen: Aden (Crater and Attawahi districts) and Lahj (Tuban and Tor Albaha districts) and were made possible through funding from the Government of Japan under the Yemen Livelihoods and Human Security Project.

To ensure transparency, the initiatives and micro-businesses were selected by a committee of representatives from UNDP, the International Labour Organization (ILO), implementing partners and local authorities from the targeted districts.

The 12 community initiatives selected were based upon criteria such as enhancing community protection and services that the community itself referred to as important. UNDP supported the initiatives by helping the communities provide access to services in the targeted districts through improved access to water, sanitation facilities, safe roads and solar energy.

UNDP, through implementing partners, supported 400 people from the targeted districts to develop micro-businesses intended to positively impact their communities. All participants received an USD $800 seed grant to establish community-based businesses – the majority of whom are women and youth directly affected by the trauma of conflict and war.

Participants were provided with vocational skills building training and expected to develop business proposals based upon their skills, experience and interests. The top areas of interest were solar energy, sewing, hair dressing, beekeeping, mobile maintenance and midwifery. Additionally, the participants were provided with business-advisor mentorships to help them successfully establish their businesses.

“This programme has changed my life! I have always hoped to have an opportunity to support my family and to be able to develop my skills. I have wanted to become a hairdresser for as long as I can remember, and with this seed grant, I can finally do it,” noted Hana Ahmed Hussien, a 27-year-old participant from Attwahai.

Through the Japanese funding, the Yemen Livelihoods and Human Security project was able to target Aden’s and Lahj’s most vulnerable individuals and neighborhoods. The key areas of focus included: (a) identification of needs and opportunities for affected communities to return to normal; (b) restoration of disrupted livelihoods of the crisis-affected population; and, (c) strengthening of community-based protection mechanisms with a focus on women and youth.