LocationsInnovation and entrepreneurship: Yemeni women working in mobile maintenance
December 9, 2024
Khawla in her home office and Mashar in her shop.
Khawla and Mashar are two young Yemeni women who have honed their skills in mobile maintenance and entrepreneurship, bolstering their livelihoods and contributing to the local economy in Al-Qatn District, Hadramout, Yemen.
In the heart of Al-Qatn District, a small room buzzes with new beginnings. In a home office prepared by her family, Khawla’s dreams began to take shape.
Khawla participated in the second phase of the Vocational Training and Business Skills Support Project funded by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with local partner the Small and Micro Enterprises Promotion Service (SMEPS). She recently received training in entrepreneurship and technical skills and an in-kind start-up grant to start her own mobile maintenance business, a venture that is both a source of income and independence.
“I am happy that I received the training and now I am able to repair mobile phones,” Khawla shares. “I opened my business in my home and receive women, who often only trust other women to repair their mobile phones.”
Khawla’s newfound skills are not just technical; they are a bridge to self-reliance. “I am now able to take care of my needs and help my family,” she explains.
Khawla working in her home office.
Khawla’s father supports her business dreams and echoes her sentiments. He is confident in his daughter’s abilities and thrilled to see her thrive. “My daughter is now self-reliant,” he shares.
Khawla’s journey doesn’t stop in her home office. She has bigger dreams that extend beyond the small room. “I hope in the future to gather the women I met during the training and start a larger mobile maintenance project that includes maintenance, software, and mobile accessories,” she envisions.
Mashar working at her shop.
Mashar, another determined entrepreneur from Al-Qatn District in Hadramaut, proudly owns her own shop. She shares, "I received several offers from different shops, but I chose to open my own and aim to expand into a larger mobile maintenance project."
Mashar's journey also began with the entrepreneurship and vocational training provided by the Vocational Training and Business Skills Support Project. As telecommunications have evolved over the decades, most adults now own mobile phones, making their repair an often sought-after necessity. It is also important that those who repair phones are well known and trusted within their communities.
Mashar diligently marketed her business through social media channels, a skill she honed during her entrepreneurship training. She emphasizes, "Marketing is important, and this is what I learned during the course."
The in-kind grant Mashar received was also pivotal. "I couldn't afford the cost of the repair devices, but the grant enabled me to take the first step in opening my own business. With determination and effort, I have been able to attract a wider customer base," she shares.
Both Khawla and Mashar have used their newfound skills to propel their careers to new heights as successful entrepreneurs in a desired vocation, building a future for themselves, supporting their family members, and serving their communities.
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The Vocational and Business Skills Training and Support Project (Phase II) aims to empower 1,533 young women and men in rural areas with vocational, technical, and business skills, and nurture an entrepreneurship culture 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, solar energy systems installation and maintenance.
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