The district of Maqbanah in Taiz Governorate faces severe challenges due to the harsh conditions prevailing in the country. This area is among the most affected by the prolonged conflict and war in Yemen, experiencing frequent attacks and ongoing shelling. The residents suffer from a severe shortage of basic necessities such as clean drinking water and food. Additionally, accessing essential services like medical care and education is difficult, as families are forced to travel long distances to obtain these services.
Athmar Fouad Hassan Ahmed, a 21-year-old single woman and high school graduate, lives with her parents and three siblings in the village of Al-Khuraaf in Hamir subdistrict. Athmar comes from a modest family without a stable source of income, as her father works as a daily wage laborer.
During our meeting with Athmar, she shared that she used to take care of her younger siblings and beautify the village girls for weddings and events using traditional methods. Working in the beauty field was one of her aspirations and talents that she wished to develop. However, she mentioned that her financial constraints and the distance between the village and Taiz city prevented her from enrolling in city-based training courses to enhance her skills.
Athmar also added that the harsh conditions she endured prevented her from realizing her dream of studying beauty, which had a negative impact on her mental state. She described her life as empty and lost, spending her days only on household chores.
Nahda Makers Organization (#NMO) implemented vocational trainings as part of the Integrated Response Project for Protection, Livelihoods, Water, and Environmental Sanitation, supported by the Yemen Humanitarian Fund (#YHF) in Maqbanah district. The project targeted 60 women and 40 men with various trainings.
Athmar, one of the beneficiaries of the beauty and life skills training, expressed her gratitude and appreciation for the efforts of Nahda Makers, saying: "I benefited greatly from the training, without which I would have been unable to achieve my dream. I am now able to start my own beauty business".