LocationsIn Yemen, where conflict and economic hardship have disproportionately affected women, investing in female entrepreneurs is a strategy for long-term resilience and recovery.
Zahra Hasan, Agro-processing facility manager in Lahj Governorate.
Through the Enhanced Rural Resilience in Yemen (ERRY III) Joint Programme – a multi-agency initiative led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), funded by the European Union and Government of Sweden – women across the country are gaining the tools they need to build sustainable livelihoods. With access to business training, mentorship, and start-up grants, they are navigating complex challenges, and building enterprises that are fueling local economies.
The women featured in this story turned their skills, determination, and the Joint Programme’s support into thriving businesses.
Qamar: From novice to business owner
When 22-year-old Qamar, Hodeidah Governorate, started her business, she had limited baking experience, but needed to support her family. With a goal to support her family’s rising household expenses, she enrolled in the ERRY III Joint Programme’s business management training to learn the basics of entrepreneurship.
After completing the course, Qamar received a small grant to purchase a mixer, oven, refrigerator, and gas cylinder that allowed her to start baking and selling pastries from her home. Initially, sales were slow, and she struggled to perfect her recipes.
However, through mentorship and hands-on experience, Qamar built her skills, gained her customers’ trust, and expanded her product range. Today, she sells baked goods to neighbors, grocery stores, caterers, and even fulfils large orders for weddings and special occasions.
Qamar is preparing the mixture to make cakes.
“This business has changed everything. Before, I relied on my father. Now, I help him to coverhousehold expenses,” shares Qamar.
Her dream is to open a small café in the public marketplace, where she can expand operations and hire other women in need of work.
Ashjan: Producing sesame oil with camel power
For 23-year-old Ashjan, running a business wasn’t just about survival; she set out to prove that women could build something lasting. Living in Bajel District, Hodeidah Governorate with her husband and two children, she saw how local farmers struggled to process and sell their sesame crops. Instead of watching them lose income, she decided, with her husband’s support, to step in and fill the gap.
“When they asked us what business we wanted to start, some chose livestock, others chose a bakery, but I chose the sesame oil press. It was a big project, but I believed in it,” explains Ashjan.
Ashjan prepares the raw sesame to be milled.
Although she had no prior experience, Ashjan studied production methods, learned about quality control, and completed business management training through the ERRY III Joint Programme.
With financial assistance from the programme, Ashjan purchased a camel-powered oil press, a traditional yet highly efficient method of extracting sesame oil. At first, production was slow and unpredictable. Sometimes, it yielded barely enough oil to sell, and other times it produced too much without enough buyers. There were also days when money was so tight that she couldn’t afford sesame seeds to keep the press running.
However, as word spread about the purity and quality of Ashjan’s oil, demand surged. Today, she sells to local vendors and households, supplying them with a household staple that’s essential for cooking and traditional remedies.
“This project changed my life. Now, I have my own business, I can send my children to school, and I no longer worry about how we’ll afford food tomorrow,” shares Ashjan.
Looking ahead, she plans to install electricity, expand production, and eventually export her oil beyond Bajel District.
Fresh sesame oil from Ashjan's press in Bajel District.
A food processing unit powered by solar energy
In Al-Mekhshaba Village, Lahj Governorate, nine women joined forces to launch a solar-powered food processing unit. Prior to starting their venture, many of these women had no formal work experience and relied solely on small-scale, inconsistent sources of income. Their families were struggling, and inflation was making the most basic household items unaffordable.
With the ERRY III Joint Programme’s business training and mentorship support, they learned how to source ingredients, process food, manage finances, and market their products. They were also provided with solar-powered equipment to ensure their production remained stable and that it wasn’t reliant on expensive fuel or inconsistent electricity.
“This project gave us more than just jobs. It gave us a future,” says Abeer Saleh.
The solar-powered food processing unit in Lahj Governorate.
Today, they produce affordable, high-quality food products that meet the needs of local families while reducing reliance on costly imports. Their teamwork and perseverance have turned a small initiative into a sustainable enterprise, one that not only provides for their families but also strengthens the local economy.
Mona, Iqbal, and Abeer working together in their food processing unit.
Empowering women: A ripple effect
What began as an urgent need to earn a living has become something far greater: a movement of women who are supporting their families, their communities, and the local economy.
Prior to starting their businesses, many of these women depended on relatives for financial support, had few employment prospects, and were discouraged from pursuing independent incomes.
“Before, I relied on my father for everything. Now, I support him,” Qamar says, reflecting on how her pastry business has shifted the balance in her household.
For others, like Ashjan, the transformation wasn’t just financial, but deeply personal. She recalls how skeptical people were when she first voiced her ambition to run a camel-powered sesame oil press.
“They told me to change my idea, to do something smaller. But I said, ‘No, I have ambitions. I want to build something that lasts.’”
With each sale, these women are creating jobs, strengthening supply chains, and opening doors for the next generation. Customers trust them. Other women look up to them. Young girls are inspired by them.
“Many girls stay at home with dreams, but no one supports them,” says Ashjan. “Now, they see that we can do it. And they are starting to believe they can, too.”
But for this progress to continue, these businesses must grow, and continued investment is required. Many women still struggle with access to credit, face high market competition, and lack affordable resources to scale up their production.
Continuing to dream big
For these women, the ERRY III Joint Programme has been the difference between struggle and success. But the journey doesn’t end here.
Qamar dreams of turning her home-based bakery into a bustling café in the city center, where she can hire other women and introduce new products. Ashjan envisions expanding her sesame oil business beyond her village to supply markets in Sana’a and Al Hodeidah. She wants to install electricity, improve her efficiency, and ensure her business becomes a recognized name in the industry.
For the nine women working in the solar-powered food processing unit, their ambitions stretch beyond running a profitable business. They see themselves as pioneers and are proving that women-led enterprises are not only viable but essential to rebuilding Yemen’s economy.
Zahra, the facility manager, holds a can of tomato paste produced by the facility in front of the solar panels
Their success is a testament to what is possible when women have access to the right support, training, and funding. Through ERRY JP III, UNDP and partners continue to ensure that women-led enterprises don’t lose momentum. Expanding access to financial resources, training programs, and sustainable energy solutions will allow even more women to step into leadership roles, build lasting businesses, and drive economic stability in Yemen.
