Amina

Social Entrepreneur

After graduating in 2015 with her diploma in laboratory studies, Amina faced the daunting reality of Yemen’s employment market. She was ready and eager to work as a lab technician and was looking forward to a starting salary of $50 per month. However, despite her willingness and perseverance, after a year, she was still unable to find a job. After a year of unemployment, Amina learned about EFE-Yemen's programs from a friend and decided to enroll. Joining EFE became a turning point in her life, as their flagship Job Training and Placement program taught her soft skills, computer and language proficiency, and effective job search and interview techniques. It helped her discover her strengths and provided an alternative path to success. Amina credits EFE for empowering young women like her to take charge of their futures. “At a time when the war broke out and transport was limited and expensive, EFE provided us with transportation to ensure we made it to class. I lived far away, and had it not been for that, I wouldn’t have been able to attend the program.” Amina's trainer, Labib Shaher, broadened her perspective on job options, recognizing her exceptional skills. He encouraged her to pursue administrative roles and secured an interview for a secretary position, marking a turning point in her career. Following an extensive interview process, she secured an executive assistant role at a local development organization, earning over 10 times her initial salary expectations. This helped support her family during her father's unemployment due to political unrest. Amina later founded a social enterprise that turns recycled plastic into innovative building materials, including plastic bricks. With support from the UNDP, local authorities, and World Bank funding, her enterprise contributed to sustainable public infrastructure, building public restrooms using their innovative bricks. Driven by her dedication to environmental sustainability and community empowerment, Amina created "Recovery," an online platform focused on raising awareness about the local ecosystem and sustainability through workshops and sessions. Operating in Arabic, Recovery aims to bridge the language gap in environmental information and provide accessibility for Yemenis and Arabs interested in these issues. Determined to support her family and keep her startup alive, Amina has decided to further pursue a master's degree in environmental public health in the UK, confident that with a better education, she can be of more benefit to her startup, community and country at large.