“My name is Omayma Nouraldeen. I am twenty-six years old. I come from a family of ten and we live in Yemen’s capital Sanaa.
Before the war, life in Sanaa was normal. I graduated from the Yemen University of Science and had gotten a job in a trading company within the city. Despite my work not being aligned to my field of study I was content with the life I was living.
When the war started in 2015, things changed dramatically. The conflict created an economic crisis in Yemen and many companies either completely closed down or laid off most of their workers. The trading company that I worked was forced to close and I lost my job. For almost one year, I stayed at home without any source of income.
Omaima displays one of her silver designed dresses Photo: CARE/ Abdulhakim Al-Ansi
This was a difficult time for me and my family and we tried to cope with the little that we had. I believe that when one door closes another one opens. What is necessary is to have the determination to make it happen. One day, while having a conversation with a friend about beauty products and cosmetics, I got the idea to start a cosmetics store. I felt that this was the opportunity to create a change in my life, despite all the challenges. I thought that by using the little savings that I had, I could realize this bold idea.
Yemen is a largely male dominant society and women often lack the opportunities to advance in many areas. For instance, it is very difficult - if not impossible - for a woman to rent space to start a business. It took me almost six months to find an office for my business. I came across plenty of shops but all the owners declined to rent them to me because I am a woman. When I finally asked my male cousin to help me, it took me just one week to find a shop!
When I started running the business, it was almost empty save for traditional perfumes, some beauty cosmetics and some clothes that I would rent to customers for special occasions. The income I made was barely enough to pay the rent. Still, I was so happy that I now owned a small business. And then I heard about the program offered by CARE International for women entrepreneurs. I applied for a chance to join the program and I got accepted. It was a golden opportunity for me.
The entrepreneurship training that I received from CARE taught me the skills to better manage my business. I also learnt how to engage better with customers and how to market my products. CARE also gave me a loan amounting to USD 1600 to strengthen my business plan.
This was a great transformation for me: my shop was no longer empty as I bought more stock products for the shop. I finally started making profit. Later, I made a deal with a friend of mine who is a tailor: I would provide her with designs of traditional cloths with a modern touch to sew and would then sell these at my shop.
I am very thankful for the opportunity CARE gave me. It empowered me and built my career. My income has now increased and my shop has more variety as we now make traditional and modern dresses, bags and scarfs alongside the perfume and beauty cosmetics that we sell. In the future we hope to export our products to Europe and different places in the world and label them - “Made in Yemen”. Thank you CARE for making my dream a living reality.”