RI commences MEPI activities in Yemen

Source: Yemen Observer

 By: Majid al-Kibsi

More than 440 students from high schools of Sana’a and Aden provinces started a business training program in Sana’a on Saturday October 22.

This program is a part of the Relief International activities for the Middle East Partnership Initiative MEPI project, funded by the government of the United States.

The project is divided into urban and rural tracks. Within the urban track students from Second and third secondary schools in the capital Sana’a and Aden are to have business training, internship, micro projects and innovation challenge within the MEPI project.

  Adel al-Tawil, the MEPI project officer at Relief International in Yemen said that the training project is to last 4 months during which he trainees are to get extensive training on: management leadership skills, business training, basic accounting and budgeting, marketing strategies, computer literacy, time management and good setting, formulation of business plan and business English.

" The project that is run by Relief International in collaboration with the Yemen Ministry of Youth aims at helping the youth to initiate their own businesses and to qualify them to involve in the business community," said Mohammed al-Kibsi, communication officer of RI in Yemen.

 During a field visit to training centers the Relief International country director Mr. Kyle Foster talked to the trainees and said he, Relief International, the United States government and the American people were pleased for having them in these training workshops. “I wish there were more funds to train more Yemeni youth, however there is a limit so you have to be proud for being selected," Foster told the trainees.

 A representative of the trainees said they were proud for being selected and wished the United States would present more support for the Yemeni youth so as to help in decreasing the high rate of unemployment.

 “Thank you for Relief International and thanks to the United States government and people for giving us this opportunity to qualify us to have businesses” he said.

Mona al-Mahagiri from al-Thawra school in Sana’a said she and other trainees from her school think to have their own company immediately after finishing the training course. “Our parents are encouraging us to involve in this training because it will help us have a better future, said al-Mahagiri.

Following the training the trainees are to undergo internship missions working with local companies and start small projects.