After more than a decade of war, Yemen’s Taiz governorate remains severely affected by violence, displacement, and poverty. In districts such as Mawza and Al-Maafer, families face rising prices, lost livelihoods, and few income opportunities.
In this erratic context, the European Union (EU) is supporting vulnerable Yemenis to rebuild their lives and regain economic independence: through CORDAID and its local partner Nahda Makers Organisation (NMO), the EU implemented a 21-month livelihoods project reaching vulnerable people, half of them women.
450 participants received vocational training aligned with local market needs, gaining practical skills such as:
- mobile phone repair
- sewing
- mechanics
- perfume making
- technical expertise in the energy or other sectors
All these being trades that can generate income even in unstable environments.
This EU-funded initiative stands out due to its integrated and holistic approach. All participants came from households that were receiving emergency cash assistance. This safety net ensured families could cover their basic needs while attending the training.
To enable families to make a real transition from aid dependency to self-reliance, vocational training was complemented by:
- start-up kits
- tailored business plans
- follow-up coaching
A lifeline through skills and opportunity
The war shattered Abdullah Ali’s life in an instant.
‘My house was bombed and I lost 11 members of my family, including my mother, my brothers and their children’, Abdullah recalls.
Overwhelmed by grief and trauma, Abdullah was forced to flee, struggling to find work.
A turning point came when he joined the vocational training programme in motorcycle maintenance. With the start-up toolkit he received, Abdullah opened a small workshop in his village, repairing 2 to 3 motorcycles a day.
‘Every motorcycle I fix brings my family one step closer to stability’, Abdullah says.
Beyond livelihoods: safeguarding dignity
Sawsan Mohammed’s life was upended by the war when her husband suffered a spinal injury and could no longer work. After their home was destroyed by fire, the family was forced to live in a displacement camp. ‘Suddenly, everything I knew was gone’, she recalls. Relying on humanitarian aid and small income from selling ready-made clothes was the main way to survive for her family.
Her situation changed when she joined a vocational training programme in tailoring and received a start-up kit.
‘Little by little I became able to secure food for my family’, Sawsan explains.
She runs a small sewing shop inside the camp, earning enough to meet her family’s daily needs. What began as a means of survival has become a source of independence, confidence, and dignity.
Story of change and hope
The war severely disrupted life in Fahd Mohammed’s community, leaving families without reliable access to food, medicine, and basic services. In addition, a traffic accident left him unable to continue physical work, impeding him to provide the most basic necessities for his children.
With the EU-funded vocational training programme in solar energy, Fahd gained practical skills, tools, and guidance to open a small home-based service centre.
‘Every panel I install or repair feels like I’m bringing light into someone’s home – and into my own life’ , Fahd says, while dreaming to open a fully equipped shop.
