Diversity in Yemen

Yemen is a land of much natural diversity and breathtaking architecture. From dry deserts to hot springs, seas, valleys, and mountains, there seems to be something for everyone. Unfortunately, many places in the North and South are off limits due to the political unrest that makes traveling there a significant risk. Nonetheless, I've managed to get around more than most, but I realized that despite the many places I'd traveled to I've been slacking on posting pictures. I will blame the exceedingly slow internet connection for my laziness. Uploading pictures is often a three day process. However, I did finally manage to post a few pictures chronicling my travels throughout the country on the album titled "The Many Sides of Yemen." Hopefully it will give you a more accurate perception of Yemen, at least visually.

The Secret Lives of Yemeni Women

Alright, for all you men out there I'm sure you're getting tired of my increasing emphasis on the female population in Yemen, but the women here are amazing on so many levels that I have to add a little more on the topic before slowing down.
Its no secret that the lives of women in Yemen are severely limited by their male counterparts, and sometimes by the female population itself. What is secret and in many ways, sacred, is how they persevere in a culture that refuses to acknowledge them as unique and capable individuals.
I was invited to a birthday party this weekend for a very progressive and well traveled Yemeni woman, but a Yemeni woman nonetheless. Her background was the reason for the diverse crowd that attended (all were young women living in Yemen, but originating from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Turkey, and Hungry, just to name a few), however, all the other details of the event could have been found in an isolated room in the family home of any Yemeni woman.
Men are not allowed to these kinds of gatherings as they are restricted only to women. The presence of the opposite sex is a main motivation for young women in the States and I assume throughout much of the western world, to look their best and cut loose at social gatherings. There have been many times where I remember my female acquaintances backing out of an invite because the anticipated crowd was not up to their standards in terms of the male population or the like.
Women in Yemen put on their finest dresses, show skin (frequently lots of skin), wear make-up, and dance and sing for no one, but themselves and the other women in attendance. Smoking sheisha, chewing qat, and eating goodies are usually at the middle of these gatherings along with, of course, the privilege of allowing themselves to say what they want and do what they want without the same kind of restriction that normally intervenes in their lives.
The birthday party that I attended was a costume party. Kim (my eternal partner in crime when it comes to navigating Yemen) and myself were given last minute notice and seeing as neither of us had a costume on hand nor the money or the will to put one together in such a short time frame, showed up as our foreign selves. When we arrived, we were greatly outdone by the rest of the women there and I was impressed how, with the few resources available, they were able to put together such detailed costumes. Another testament to their appreciation for moments such as these.
There is no great climax to this blog entry so I won't pretend to end it with one. It's simply a testament to the humanity of women and the strength that it takes to find happiness in a society where life evolves around the basics of survival, where the woman under the robe blends into the background as an exotic picture on a postcard.

Delayed Pictures From Syria

So I know that its been almost two months since my trip to Syria so I apologize for only now posting pictures, but the internet here has been intolerable so it took me a while. Its just a small sample as not all the pictures are loading properly (thank you Yemen internet), but hopefully you can get a glimpse of my Syrian experience. Check them out under the obvious album title "Syria."

Random Acts In Yemen

Lately I've been expressing my frustrations with certain aspects of Yemeni society so I feel it appropriate to list some of the random kindhearted acts I have experienced here as well. As I've said before, the magnitude of Arab hospitality is overwhelming at times, but Yemenis take it to a whole new level. Here are just a few stories worth mentioning:

When I was looking for the Yemen Today Office for my first writers meeting way back in October, I got lost in the maze that is Sana'a. I asked a street vendor if he knew where the place was and he literally left his store and walked with me for a good half a mile through various streets to show me the exact location.

There are always lots of children playing in the streets where I live and usually I have fun with them for a few minutes as I pass by jumping in on a game of soccer or something of the like. Every time I walk down the streets you can hear the kids yelling "Danya!" in order to get my attention. Not sure why, but Yemenis seem to have a difficult time pronouncing "Dani." A few weeks ago I was walking with a friend in our neighborhood and a truck coming around the corner almost hit me. The neighborhood kids saw this unravel and almost as soon as the car put on its brakes there were about 20 Yemeni children hitting the sides of the vehicle and yelling at the driver for his mistake.

I frequently get fresh juice (orange and lemon, yum) from a vendor near my apartment and every time I go I like to get a water bottle filled so I have some for the morning. Each time, the people running the shop always give me an extra glass to drink while I'm there, free of charge.

When I was taking a taxi to work a while back, the driver started a conversation with me in Arabic. When we arrived at my destination he refused to let me pay because he was happy to have a foreigner speaking Arabic and learning about his culture.

I like to eat at a restaurant near by run by a man named Akhmed. Every time I go, he gives me at least two free dishes. I want to thank him for his generosity, but other than verbally thanking him there's really nothing that I can do. One day when he gave me a free dessert that was a new dish, I asked him questions about it (the name of it, etc.) to try to let him know that I enjoyed and appreciated it. Before he answered he had already brought two more trays of the same dish and was wrapping it up so I could take it to go.
These types of experiences tend to be the norm in Yemen and while often times they require the simplest of actions, they make a world of difference.

Elevating Yemen One Woman At A Time

In addition to the Friedman article, I also covered a women's empowerment program know as the Springboard Program for Yemen Today magazine. The women in the program were very inspiring and welcoming. Feel free to check it out below:

 Elevating Yemen One Woman At A Time

           As I make my way down the third floor of the British Council in Sana’a, a door swings open and I am greeted by an eager and smiling young woman. Huda Saleem, the Women’s Development Program Manager at the British Council, radiates a warmth and sincerity that is difficult to find in the world of today, let alone in someone as young as she. “When women come here,” she tells me as I ask about her passion for this program, “They have a vague idea of what the program will do for them. When they finish, you see their faces and they say, ‘thank you, you’ve changed me for the better and you saved me.’ That makes me feel empowered. As a Yemeni woman, I have been through the same thing and I know that we need this.”

Huda leads me into a lively room, buzzing with the chatter of female voices as the thirty participants engage in discussion over their books; a scene rarely viewed in Yemen, even by a women herself. In the months I’ve resided in this country, gatherings of Yemeni women have tended to be excluded to the home over lunch, tea and the occasional qat session.

According to their website, the British Council strives to “build engagement and trust for the UK through the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people worldwide.” The Springboard Program is one initiative supported by the British Council that envelopes this vision and pushes it a step further. Developed specifically for women and designed to provide them the skills necessary to advance in the work force and in their personal lives, the program empowers women in the Middle East to recognize and meet their potential while encouraging them to challenge traditional roles and perceptions.

Working women seeking to take advantage of a job opportunity, progress in their field, heighten their confidence or improve their overall well being are encouraged to participate. The details of the program vary depending on the country and situation, but in Yemen, it consists of four workshops held on Thursdays from 8-5pm. Subjects covered include confidence building, personal evaluation, setting goals, assertiveness, maintaining a balanced lifestyle and a variety of other positive topics.

The Springboard Program, which originated in the United Kingdom, has since been expanding its influence, making its first appearance in Saudi Arabia in 2004 then migrating to other Middle Eastern countries, including Yemen in September 2007. In addition to celebrating its 21^st anniversary in May of 2010, the Springboard program recently organized the first British Council Springboard Licensing Course for the Middle East in Beirut from July 12-20, 2009. This conference, composed of 30 women from organizations in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman, produced licensed trainers for the program, qualifying the attendees to instruct courses on self development customized to meet the needs of women in the Middle East. Completion of training ensures that the participants possess a strong knowledge of the Springboard Program and have fulfilled the challenging criteria established by the Springboard Consultancy.

Circulation of qualified trainers for the program also implies that the number of women and communities in the Middle East to benefit from this experience is on the rise. The Licensing Course is part of an expansion of regional projects in the Middle East to be conducted by the British Council with the greater aspiration of constructing a network of 20,000 Springboard alumni by 2012 and narrowing the gap of understanding between women in the Middle East and those in the UK.

In the conservative and traditional country of Yemen, it’s no secret that women are treated as second class citizens. Yemen was ranked last out of 130 countries in the 2008 World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap report and the estimated adult literacy rate for females by the UNDP in 2005 was only 34.7%. The testimony I received from the participants at the Springboard program overwhelmingly supported these findings.

Dr. Faiza Al-Maqtari, an optometrist, explains that “the problem is with basic human rights and luxuries; we don’t have them and there’s is no outlet with which to pursue them.” She proceeded to list examples of liberties Yemeni women are commonly denied, amongst them driving, going out at night, participating in activities without permission, and wearing clothing of their choice. “People don’t take me seriously in my profession and I’m not seen as an equal or as a qualified professional. Though I hold a high rank in society, I’m still subject to discrimination and disrespect.” Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of this society, as Dr. Faiza disclosed, “Is that those who are educated and who hold power that should be helping us, instead try to push us down. This problem is that of the world, but in some places and situations, you feel it more.”

The Springboard Program not only faces difficulties in empowering women, but in recruiting participation in a closed society. In addition to it interrupting work, school, and family responsibilities, a pharmacy student who I’ll refer to as SM, confesses that, “Many programs like this are seen as inspiring women to rebel against their family or society and teaches them to be selfish.”

SM does not agree with this conception. “There is a lot to learn from this program, you learn more about yourself and how to better communicate and express what you want.” One of the personal challenges SM faces is anger management, but she says, with the help of the program, “I’m regaining my confidence, learning to work on my anger issues, and seeing my own potential. It is helping me to set the steps I need to reach my goals and change the things about myself that I’d like to see improve.”

A veteran to such programs as the one Springboard offers, Bushra Nasr, a Project Analyst at the World Bank, feels that conquering the challenges of Yemeni society is a lifelong process. “Whenever I hear of these self development programs I just join because the atmosphere of this country tends to kill the enthusiasm you develop over time. I’ve managed to achieve everything I’ve wanted to. I started driving when I was a teen, studied abroad and even worked in Africa for a year. Now I want to be a trainer and send this spirit that I have to others and empower myself simultaneously.”

I was able to talk to these women at different intervals throughout the Springboard Program and observe their excitement grow and develop into determination. Participants expressed the change they felt within themselves from the first day. “This program is helping even within my home and this is only the second week. There have been positive changes for my family and for myself, culture, and friends,” praised Dr. Faiza.

The diversity of women in the program is worth noting. These participants come from various backgrounds, educations, governates, and age groups. Regardless of this, the women expressed a mutual respect for one another and were easily able to create a comfortable and open environment. Restricting classes to female participation is a main contributor to furthering development. This is an especially vital component in Arab cultures, where the male position is more likely to dominate conversation and inhibit honesty amongst female participants.

During the program’s last session, the women shared their reservations about the future. Hana’a Alherdi, Head of the Young Women’s Department at the Yemeni Youth Union confessed, “I knew before the program started that I must be strong, and even with reading the books and lectures it was difficult to erase all the weakness in myself and face the real society. Paper is one thing, but it is reality that is most challenging. Trying to maintain what I’m learning and honestly achieve my goals once the program is over, that is the challenge ahead.” This was a widespread fear amongst the women here, despite the fact that the program sets up a support group and networking options.

Hana’a Alherdi, like all the women I spoke to, found the structure of the program to be an effective one. In addition to the lectures and substance of the activities, Hana’a found that most importantly, “the material in the book was very simple to read and understand.” Also, “The ideas in the book can be turned into words and then into actions so we can understand what it means to be strong, empowered, and developed, then act on it accordingly.”

While all of the women agree that the Springboard Program is beneficial and is helping them meet their goals, they also had recommendations for improvement. Mainly, the women wanted the program to run for longer than the allotted four weeks. Furthermore, most agree that the cost, while subsidized, is still too expensive and that the program needs to be expanded to reach as many women as possible.

            Currently, the program has trained 156 women in Yemen from a range of governates including Sana’a, Adan, Taiz, and Hodeidah. The two categories offered (one for teenagers and one for women 20 and above) ensure that no woman gets excluded on the basis of age. The challenges women must confront to lead lives equal to that of their male counterparts is frustrating, overwhelming and continuous, but Hana’a Alherdi has faith that it can be accomplished. “We have to start with building ourselves first then we can build the society; we must start from the bottom.” Hana’a believes “that women well educated will break the walls they face in their society one step at a time.” She says, “This is my principle and how I faced the issues with my family.”

            I’ve reiterated the testimony of a few of the women I spoke with, but all of them had something to say and where eager to get the attention of someone willing to listen. Experiencing the strength and unity of these women in the midst of such a tremendous struggle is both moving and inspiring, and with the help of initiatives like the Springboard Program, it’s only a matter of time before the second half of the population begins to actively reshape Yemeni society.

Yemen Is In the Making, Not In The Failing

Here's the blurb I wrote covering Thomas Friedman's visit to Media Women Forum for Yemen Today Magazine:

Yemen Is In the Making, Not In The Failing:

Thomas Friedman Visits Media Women Forum

“Yemen is in the making, not in the failing.” This was the message given to Thomas Friedman by ten leaders in Yemeni media at the conclusion of the discussion that took place Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at Media Women Forum in Sana’a. The meeting marked Friedman first visit to Yemen and addressed issues regarding Yemen’s political situation, development, United States contribution and dismantlement of Al-Qaeda.

Thomas Friedman, American New York Times columnist and three times Pulitzer Prize winner, began the conversation openly, recognizing the sudden interest in Yemen by the United States as the result of Al-Qaeda’s activity. While Friedman acknowledged the complexity of the various situations in Yemen, he feels “what Yemen needs are the simple things.” Good governance and a sturdy educational system were amongst those mentioned requiring an attentive and active government.

The question from Yemeni journalists was how to initiate this process of reform. To this, Friedman responded, “You always have to look for where the leverage is with your government...find the leverage on the president that he will embrace, don’t just use one force against the other.” He continued by adding, “At the end of the day, change has to come from within.”

Freidman cited the Camp David Peace Agreements between Egypt and Israel as an example of Middle Eastern countries taking initiative in the international political sphere and cemented his point with the analogy, “In the history of the world, no one’s ever washed a rented car. People from this part of the world have long rented their cars from their country’s kings and dictators, are you ready to own the car?”

Comparing Yemen’s situation to Taiwan (another country of 23 million), Friedman continued by calling to attention the untapped human capitol in Yemen, using Taiwan’s success as an example of what Yemen could achieve.

For the United States, Friedman sees Yemen as a chance to reevaluate past approaches to terrorism. His advice for the U.S. government is, “if for every one drone you send, you build 100 schools, you’ll be on the right track.” He admits that Yemenis know their country in ways that would take foreigners a lifetime to determine. Consequently, the U.S. will receive protection only when tribe says, “there will be no Al-Qaeda.” Friedman identifies this as the best form of security.

In response, freelance journalist Mohammed Al-Asaadi brought to attention that the majority of Yemeni citizens reside in rural areas. He explained that the government can’t reach the population and the population can’t make demands, resulting in gaps within the country that force it to operate on an ad hoc basis.

Before departing, Rahma Hugaira (President of Media Women Forum) gave thanks and appreciation to Friedman for his visit, which emphasized his support for free media and women’s rights in Yemen.

Media Women Forum is a non-governmental organization conducting initiatives for Yemeni media professionals (with an emphasis on women) to introduce objective journalism and enhance the media’s role in promoting issues surrounding human rights, democracy and development.

Some Things Never Change

I was walking home from work on Wednesday and saw a young boy looking into a garbage can. By garbage can, I mean a large cardboard box that the neighbors were throwing their trash into. A suspicious scene, so I went to investigate and low and behold there were three newborn kittens flopping around amongst the trash. Apparently, even in Yemen where people don't really have cats as pets, kittens still get thrown in the garbage. The last thing I need right now is to be waking up every two hours and dragging a litter of kittens around Yemen, but I also can't just leave three kittens to die, dirty and hungry in garbage dump. I grabbed them up, wrapped them in my shall, and took them home.
They are now clean and fat, though to be honest I doubt they'll live long. Its difficult enough to raise bottle babies in general, but in Yemen there is no such thing as kitten formula and while baby formula will suffice in the short term, it lacks a lot of the nutrients specific to feline needs. In addition, there are no kitten size bottles, so feeding through a syringe is tricky. They hate the plastic and its easier for them to asphyxiate, but they're adapting.
I've been fostering kittens for Humane Societies and various veterinary hospitals (as I'm a veterinary technician) since I was a kid and was enjoying it up to when I left for the Middle East. Most of my buddies back home laughed when I told them this and responded by saying they were glad to know that some things never change.
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that they make it through the next couple weeks.

Languages

I have always admired those fluent in many languages and traveling abroad has inspired me to become fluent not only in Arabic, but in Russian, Chinese, and Italian as well. I'd also like to study Hebrew so I can catch some slack from my Israeli buddies whenever they send out group messages or updates and I have to ask for a special translation because, as they know, I can't read Hebrew.
I've taken French for a good seven years and while I'm a little rusty, I decided to seize the opportunity to brush up on the language when I was offered a tutoring position. I'm enjoying the experience though teaching French to Yemeni's in combination of broken Arabic, English and French has proven to be somewhat challenging. In addition, another issue seems to have resurfaced in reminding my brain of its French abilities. When I first started learning Arabic, whenever my professor would ask me a question, my first response (mentally) was always in French. Thankfully I never answered in French, but I had to then rethink the question a second time in Arabic, often making for a somewhat awkward response time. It took me a year or so to move past this and while the same pattern hasn't completely adopted its old form, I have started to unintentionally bring French words into my thinking when speaking in Arabic.
My brain continues to slack on its organizational abilities, but in the mean time I hope I can train it to separate one language from another.

Postcard From Yemen

Here's a piece Thomas Freidman wrote about his visit to Yemen. I find it amusing how surprised he was to find young foreigners here. When he met me at Media Women Forum the first thing he said was, "how did you get here?" After MWF Freidman went to visit the Yemen Observer (the company I write magazine articles for, aka Yemen Today). My foriegn friends that work there said he had a similar reaction to them, which he expresses in his piece. Check it out at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/07/opinion/07friedman.html

Press Release

Friedman Supports Media Women Forum with a Press Conference

Sana’a, Yemen, February 3, 2010 /Media Women Forum - Today, Media Women Forum held a round table discussion in honor of a visit from Thomas Friedman, American NY Times columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner. Friedman exchanged opinions with ten leaders of the Yemeni media addressing the current situation as well as US contribution and tactics in the fight against Al-Qaeda.

Friedman spoke honestly with conference members, acknowledging that America’s interest in Yemen is as the result of activity with Al-Qaeda and began a discussion concentrating on the main issues in Yemen (education, development, security, etc.) and the methods that need to be pursued in order to remedy such obstacles.

Also raised was the question of the United States administration and how it will interact with Yemen as a result of current developments. Friedman cemented the point that Yemen must take responsibility for its country and should focus on development from within. Until this is achieved, support from the United States will be ineffective. Before concluding, Yemeni journalists expressed enthusiasm for Friedman’s visit and left a message with Friedman for the US, that Yemen is in the making, not in the failing, and that we will find a way to unite and better our country for the benefit of its people.

After thanking Media Women Forum and its guests profusely, Friedman told the Forum, “I have two daughters and one day, I hope that I can bring them here.” This was perhaps the ultimate form of flattery and support for both Media Women Forum and the cause for which they are fighting. Should Thomas Friedman visit Yemen again, it would be their pleasure to welcome him back to their organization.

This conference took place in the capitol of Sana’a at 11:30am at the Media Women Forum’s personal conference room, Amat Al-Aleem Alsusua, and included various members of the Women Media Forum and respected local journalists and media institutions. Such members included:
Rahma Hugaira (President of MWF)
Fares Sanabani (Editor-in-Chief of Yemen Today)
Fares Alsaqqaf (Chairperson of General Board of Books)
Danielle Giacchetti (Public Relations and Program Officer at MWF)
Murad Hashem (Director of Aljazira Office in Yemen)
Hamood Monasar (Director of Al Arabia Office in Yemen)
Khaled Alhamadi (Correspondent the Agency of Arabic Quds)
Naif Hassan (Editor-in-Chief of Alshare'a Newspaper)
Mohamed Alassadi (Journalist)
Bushra Alamira (Journalist)
Fiadh ALnoa'man (Journalist)

Media Women Forum is a non-governmental organization conducting initiatives for Yemeni media professionals to introduce objective journalism and enhance the media’s role in promoting issues surrounding human rights, democracy and development.

Thomas Friedman Visit's Media Women Forum

Since beginning my position at Media Women Forum I've met ambassadors, ministers, representatives from embassies, the UN, UNICEF and other organizations of the like, but today we had a particularly politically significant guest attend a meeting at the Forum, none other than Thomas Friedman. Friedman, amongst other things, is an American New York Times columnist and a three times Pulitzer Prize winner. I own some of his work, including the book, "From Beirut to Jerusalem." I don't always agree with Freidman's opinions nor do I always support his intentions. However, he has extensive experience in and with the Middle East (though this was his first visit to Yemen) and is very influential in the international political scene, so I was excited to learn I would be attending a round table discussion which he would be leading.

It was one of those times where I felt like I was actually progressing in this field and was pleased that I was able to present questions of my own to Friedman during the meeting while be taken seriously in the process. I will most likely be writing about the event for Yemen Today magazine and was asked to write a press release for the event immediately following it's conclusion. That press release is posted on the following entry soon to be followed (inshallah) by my article.

Below is some information on Thomas Friedman for those who aren't familiar with him or his work:

Thomas Lauren Friedman is an American New York Times columnist and a three time Pulitzer Prize winning author (twice for International Reporting in 1983 and 1988 and once for Commentary in 2002). He has written extensively on foreign affairs including global trade, the Middle East and environmental issues has been a member of the Pulitzer Prize Board from 2004 until the present.
His works include:

From Beirut to Jerusalem (1989)
The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization (1999)
Longitudes and Attitudes: Exploring the World After September 11 (2002; reprinted 2003 as Longitudes and Attitudes: The World in the Age of Terrorism)
The World Is Flat: A Brief History of The Twenty-first Century (2005)
Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution And How It Can Renew America (2008)

Friedman was born in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis in July of 1953. In 1975, Friedman received a bachelor of arts in Mediterranean studies from Brandeis University and then attended St Antony's College at the University of Oxford on a Marshall scholarship, earning an Masters of Philosophy in Middle Eastern studies.

Friedman joined the London bureau of United Press International after completing his masters degree. He was dispatched a year later to Beirut, where he stayed until 1981. He was then hired by The New York Times as a reporter, and was re-dispatched to Beirut at the start of the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Friedman's coverage of the war, particularly the Sabra and Shatila massacre, won him the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting. With David K. Shipler, he also won the 1982 George Polk Award for Foreign Reporting.

He was assigned to Jerusalem from 1984 to 1988, and received a second Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the First Palestinian Intifada. Afterwords he wrote a book, From Beirut to Jerusalem, describing his experiences in the Middle East.

Friedman covered Secretary of State James Baker during the administration of United States President George H. W. Bush. Following the election of Bill Clinton in 1992, he became the White House correspondent for the Times. In 1994, he began to write more about foreign policy and economics, and moved to the op-ed page of The New York Times the following year as a foreign affairs columnist. In 2002, Friedman won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary "for his clarity of vision, based on extensive reporting, in commenting on the worldwide impact of the terrorist threat."

In February 2002, Friedman met Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah and personally encouraged him to make his comprehensive attempt to end the Arab-Israeli conflict by normalizing Arab relations with Israel in exchange for the return of refugees alongside an end to the Israel territorial occupations. Abdullah proposed the Arab Peace Initiative at the Beirut Summit that March, which Friedman has strongly supported since. Friedman is the recipient of the 2004 Overseas Press Club Award for lifetime achievement, and has been named to the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.
Information taken from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Friedman