SDRPY in New Partnership to Economically Empower Yemeni Women

RIYADH, Sept. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Marib Girls' Foundation to support its vision for economically empowering women through the "Saba Project for the Economic Empowerment of Yemeni Women," using best practices to qualify Yemeni women to launch initiatives alleviating the suffering of women and ensure decent living standards for them. SDRPY Supervisor Ambassador Mohammed Saeed Al Jabir signed on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with Marib Girls' Foundation President Yasmin Ali Al Qadhi signing for Yemen.

"In fact, this is the first project in Marib province or in the Republic of Yemen as a whole that we have signed with a woman who is in charge of many projects to empower Yemeni women economically, as well as to empower young people and enhance their abilities," remarked Al Jabir at the signing.

Al Jabir noted that the Saba Enterprise Incubator prepared for Marib would prove an exemplary step in empowering youth in Marib, ultimately enriching the rest of the country. The incubator would foster new ideas and business practices boosting the performance of the Yemeni woman, he said, as well as supporting emerging projects with a business incubator providing entrepreneurs with a headquarters.

"This cooperation proceeds from several principles aimed at strengthening the role of the Yemeni woman and her contribution to society by supporting emerging projects and qualifying women to launch projects and lead free enterprises," said Al Qadhi, adding that joint efforts to highlight female Yemeni creativity and innovation in implementing and leading small projects would help women to become leading entrepreneurs in Yemen.

"This is in addition to emphasizing women's talents," she added, "honoring their pioneering spirit, and drawing the attention of decision-makers toward integrating concepts of empowerment into all stages of education."

In 2020, Yasmin Al Qadhi was presented with the International Woman of Courage Award by the US Department of State. She has extensive experience in the development of civil society institutions, volunteer work and project management.

The project also includes various forms of support to enable the foundation to communicate with international donors, thus improving its fiscal efficiency. Furthermore, it contributes to increasing the minimum wage of working women by prioritizing those who are heads of their households or care for persons with special needs or the elderly.

SDRPY has already implemented many projects in vital sectors in Marib Governorate. Al Jabir stressed that these sectors would continue to receive development support.

"The education sector in Marib has received support as well through the construction of several colleges at Saba University and a school for the gifted, and the Saba University Bus Project to facilitate transportation," he added. "Also, in the agriculture sector, many wells have been fully prepared to serve the people of Marib Governorate."

Hospitals and health centers in Marib have been fully outfitted with essential medical devices, ambulances and fully equipped ICUs. These include Marib General Hospital, 26th of September Hospital and Kara Hospital.

In the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector, SDRPY has made clean water accessible and available by supplying fleets of water tanker-trucks and by implementing projects to dig and equip wells. SDRPY recently conducted a campaign to spray and sanitize 14 districts in Marib to promote public health and limit the spread of disease.

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