UNDP Yemen: Made in Yemen - Youth innovate with local solutions built to last

In Yemen, where years of conflict and economic turbulence have left 32% of young people without work, opportunity is often out of reach. But in the face of scarcity, a generation of entrepreneurs is stepping forward to transform market gaps into thriving businesses that educate children, empower women, advance clean energy, and open doors to the tech economy.

Through the Emergency Social Protection Enhancement and COVID-19 Response Project (ESPECRP) – supported by the World Bank’s IDA and implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Small and Micro Enterprise Promotion Service (SMEPS) – youth receive the training, seed capital, and mentorship required to move their ideas from concept to community impact. To date, 283 youth have completed technical training, and sixty-nine have already received grants and business assets to begin operations.

On this International Youth Day, we are celebrating Shadia and Fatima, who are reimagining early childhood learning and natural beauty products; Ibrahim, who is building a solar panel maintenance service; and Yasser, who is training a new wave of robotics and renewable energy innovators. Together, they are proving that with the right support, Yemen’s young people will innovate towards a brighter future.

Closing gaps with creativity

Shadia’s business began with a missing piece: there were almost no locally made educational toys in Yemen. While visiting classrooms, she saw teachers struggling to find affordable, developmentally appropriate materials. Imports were scarce and expensive, leaving educators to improvise with what they had on hand. Alongside her business partner, Fatima, she launched Dorri, a youth-led enterprise that creates sensory learning toys from fabric and wood. Each one is designed to spark curiosity and support early childhood development. 

Today, Dorri’s products are used in dozens of kindergartens. Not only have they reduced the need for importing goods; they are also embedding local culture into learning.

 “Now we have high-quality educational toys made by our own youth,” says Asma, a kindergarten principal in Sana’a. “It brings pride and purpose into our classrooms.” 

Fatima, too, built her company from a gap she could no longer ignore. As a haircare specialist in Aden, she saw the harmful effects of chemical-heavy products and the absence of safe, natural alternatives. Drawing on Yemeni traditions, she created Tamz Beauty, which offers oils, soaps, and skincare made from local ingredients like sidr, sesame, and henna. 

What began with a single jar has grown into a multi-product line, employing women in every stage of production – from sourcing ingredients with local farmers to packaging and distribution. As demand has grown, Fatima has invested in equipment to expand production while minimizing waste. Tamz Beauty now reaches customers nationwide and is creating livelihoods for women who sell the products in their communities. 

Innovating for everyday needs

Ibrahim’s innovation came from listening to his customers. While working as a solar installer, he kept hearing the same complaint: performance dropped after installation. The problem was not with the equipment; it was with the lack of maintenance. Dust buildup was cutting efficiency, and no one was offering a solution.

His answer was Solar Care, a solar panel cleaning and maintenance service. Using dry-cleaning tools instead of water, the process is both safer for the equipment and more sustainable in Yemen, where water scarcity is severe. “This avoids damage and reduces waste,” Ibrahim explains. 

From a one-man service, Ibrahim’s business has grown to include installation, inspection, and ongoing maintenance for homes and small businesses. His team can clean up to six hundred panels in four hours, boosting system efficiency and the reliability of household energy. The business has not only stabilized Ibrahim’s own income but created jobs for other young technicians. 

For Yasser, inspiration took root in childhood. Fascinated by electronics, he spent years exploring circuits, robotics, and renewable energy, and would teach himself skills that were not offered in local schools. Today, he runs a training center that delivers courses in industrial automation, control systems, and clean energy to students ranging from middle schoolers to university graduates. Some of them have gone on to open their own centers and are creating a ripple effect of knowledge. 

His programmes now include robotics, app development, and artificial intelligence – skills that connect Yemen’s youth to both local opportunities and the global digital economy. “Young people are hungry for this kind of knowledge,” Yasser says. “Even young women are entering the field of robotics and automation. The mindset is changing.” 

A shared path forward

While their products differ, from handcrafted toys to maintaining solar panels, these entrepreneurs share a common approach: start with a real need, create a local solution, and build it to last. Their work provides necessary products, strengthens education, lowers household costs, and makes innovation accessible to more people. “When young people take the lead,” says Asma, “everyone gains – children, families, schools, and entire communities.”

These are not isolated wins; they are the foundation for long-term, community-driven progress. And in a country where challenges can feel unending, the success of Yemen’s young entrepreneurs is a reminder that when opportunity meets determination, positive change is not only possible, but also inevitable.

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