In Shiha village, Al-Ma’afer district, Fahd Mohammed grew up with big responsibilities from a young age. He left school in the ninth grade to help support his family and spent years working as a street vendor, selling vegetables just to make ends meet.
Life had become a daily struggle. The war in Yemen had worsened conditions in his community: schools, clinics, and basic services were disrupted, and even securing food and medicines was a challenge. Fahd feared he had run out of options. ‘I went through very difficult times and was unable to provide even the most basic necessities for my children,’ he recalls. His situation became even more desperate after a traffic accident left him with a slipped disc, making it impossible to continue physically demanding work like street vending.
Community workers from Nahda Makers Organisation (#NMO) told Fahd about a vocational training programme in solar energy installation and maintenance, offered in partnership with #Cordaid and funded by the #European_Union. Fahd seized the opportunity. “I had been looking for something like this for years. It felt like a door opening when all other doors seemed closed,” he recalls.
During the training, Fahd learned to operate and maintain solar energy systems, acquiring technical skills he could immediately apply. With a full set of tools and guidance from the programme, he set up a small service centre in his home, providing solar power solutions to his village and neighbouring communities. ‘Every panel I install or repair feels like I’m bringing light into someone’s home – and into my own life,’ he explains.
Since starting his business, Fahd has installed twelve solar panels, a complete solar system of a residential building, and five inverters, while maintaining more than fifty panels for local households. Tasks like replacing fuses, realigning panels towards the sun, and inspecting batteries have become part of his daily routine.
Looking ahead, Fahd dreams of opening a fully equipped shop specialising in solar energy systems. ‘I want people to trust my work and know they can rely on me for quality and service,’ he says.
Fahd is one of 450 participants in the EU-funded project helping households in Taiz build livelihoods and reduce dependence on aid. Today, he shapes his own future, using his training to generate income and provide for his household.
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