Yemen Abd Al Bari Fadil

It was then, in June 2017, that I joined CTG as a Social Development Consultant to support solar power in the rural areas of Yemen. The solar project aims to strengthen resilient communities in rural areas by providing solar power systems to health facilities and schools, and offers solar-powered lanterns to underprivileged families. The programme also provides fridges to safely store vaccines for health facilities.

I studied as an engineer so that’s what drew me to this project but also the programme focuses on one of the most important needs of our society: electricity. So many people in Lahij, as well as the country’s other governorate, experience very poor living conditions. Most of these governorates suffer from constant power cuts, as many of the electrical power supply stations eventually become out of order (not to mention the unavailability of an electrical network in most rural areas).

There have been difficult times during my work in the field. For example, when communities don’t receive their basic human rights, they tend to retaliate with violence. While we try to understand and sympathise with the community, the government’s role is non-existent. Unemployment and poverty is rife, which leads to psychological crises. I will never forget a shocking incident that occurred in May 2018 in Lahij governorate when a father killed four of his children and his wife, before committing suicide. In my opinion, was was a result of the extreme poverty and the psychological crisis he had suffered. The Lahij governorate is considered one of the worst governorates because of the lack of basic human rights. That’s why this programme is considered one of the best in the governorate because it meets the needs of basic human rights.

I remember one of the most beautiful instances that expresses how important this project is, which was when we were distributing solar-powered lanterns to an underprivileged area and I heard a child whispering to his mother, “Today I can finally get back to studying using a light instead of relying on the moonlight at night.” There are many other stories that I will never forget. The project is a true reflection of kindness in humanity because we help put a smile on the faces of those in need.

You too can make a difference by joining CTG. Apply to our job portal, here.