CHF International's programs in Yemen focus on empowering young people. We are providing them with critical opportunities to stay in school, enhance their skills, and compete in the job market in a safe and sustainable way.

Many children from low-income families in countries throughout the Middle East and Africa suffer from inadequate access to flexible, low-cost and appropriate educational opportunities, putting them at risk of entering into exploitive labor practices. In addition, many “at-risk” youth are often drawn into illegal, fundamentalist, or tribal activities that prevent them from developing their skills for long-term employment. In response, CHF International has been working in Yemen to address these issues through two unique programs that are investing in youth.

Improving Access to Education

Alternatives to Combat Child Labor through Education and Sustainable Services in the Middle East and North Africa (ACCESS-MENA) is a four-year program that specifically aims to decrease the number of working young children and increase their numbers in school. A range of efforts are focusing on addressing both the direct and indirect causes that are exposing children to the worst forms of child labor in Yemen and Lebanon. ACCESS-MENA’s specific objectives are:

• to enroll or re-enroll 3,000 working and at-risk children in education programs in Yemen by August 2008;
• to work innovatively with schools, education organizations, employers, working children, and their families to provide quality formal and non-formal educational opportunities for working and at-risk children; 
• to raise awareness among stakeholders and build the capacity of local NGOs to reduce the worst forms of child labor; and
• to disseminate the lessons learned and best practices among all countries in the MENA region.

The ACCESS-MENA program is funded by the United States Department of Labor under the Child Labor Education Initiative. CHF International is proud to work with our partners: Charitable Society for Social Welfare, AMIDEAST, and Kidz Online.

Developing Youth Entrepreneurship

In 2005, CHF International’s Youth Economic Development Initiative (YEDI) worked to increase employment opportunities for more than 500 young people in the capital city of Sana’a by:

• developing the necessary skills of young men and women to succeed in business and entrepreneurial activities;
• promoting the development of employable skills;
• facilitating the growth and development of micro-enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); and
• enhancing the quality of life for youth in Yemen.

In July 2005, 353 youth celebrated their graduation from YEDI’s program, having completed training and apprenticeships in a range of areas including journalism, graphic design, sales, and marketing. The program has established a Business Enterprise Center (BEC) through which Yemeni youth can gain access to vocational and computer training and other resources to develop their entreprenuerial skills. The BEC serves as a hub where young men and women can connect and liaise with successful business owners and trainers.

Supported by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) under the U.S. Department of State, and in cooperation with the Girls World Communication Center (GWCC), the YEDI program has helped hundreds of young people enhance their business skills and gain valuable economic opportunities, while paving the way for future economic reform initiatives in Yemen specifically, and throughout the Middle East.

For complete details, download the Fact Sheet above.