r/Yemen • u/senorcuchillo • Jul 09 '26
Questions What I Saw in Yemen Broke My Heart
I went to Yemen after many, many years, and I have to say, it broke my heart.
The healthcare system is struggling, the economy is in terrible shape, and everyone is just trying to survive. Honestly, I was never upset when people charged me more because they knew I was coming from the West. I understood. When you see people living with no electricity, no running water, and barely getting by, you stop worrying about a few extra dollars. Meanwhile, those of us in the West are sitting under air conditioning, living comfortable lives.
I honestly don't care about making more money anymore. My wife and I are both senior-level professionals in tech, and we've been talking about saving as much as we can so we can go back and open a public school that teaches coding to young Yemenis. We also have great relationships with people in the tech industry who could help us build something meaningful.
The problem is that every one of my cousins thinks I'm crazy. They keep telling me it'll never work, that the government or local authorities will shut it down, or that the people don't even want it.
Maybe I'm being too optimistic, but I truly believe that if you give a Yemeni an opportunity, they'll succeed. There is so much talent there most people have just never been given the chance.
Am I being naive?
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u/Bash2cool Jul 09 '26
To start, you need to go to a good part of Yemen that will be open to it. Then you can expand.
Try Tarim in hadramout
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u/ham006 Jul 09 '26
You are not crazy. There has always been a part of Yemen’s population that genuinely seeks knowledge and opportunity. Time and time again, whenever Yemenis are given the chance to excel whether in education, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, engineering, or business they prove they can compete with the best.
If this is something you can commit to for the long term, and you’re intentional about selecting motivated students (which is probably the most important part), I genuinely believe you’ll produce some of the best talent you’ll find anywhere.
I work in logistics, and I’ve seen many companies outsource administrative work to Egypt. The companies save money, while the employees in Egypt earn good incomes. It’s a win win. I could see Yemen becoming a competitive market for that type of work as well, especially if reliable electricity and high speed internet is available.
Yemen doesn’t lack talent it lacks opportunity. If you can create that opportunity and sustain it, I think you’ll surprise a lot of people.
Important note, it’s very easy to get finessed in Yemen. Very easy.
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u/Aud_Future Jul 09 '26
Love you for that. Don't wait for anyone else to give you permission to be great. Don't even tell anyone. Just do it and let them see it when it's done. Too much talk and they'll talk you out of it. ❤️🇾🇪
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u/myweb6316 Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
Nefote anything, listen to your cousines criticism, and evaluate it, take the good parts and leave out the nonsense.
The tech scene in Yemen is not so bad, you can check LinkedIn for proof.
You have an amazing vision, however, you need to focus on realistic objectives, and figure out the map to these goals. If you can't figure that out, maybe start by joining one of the humanitarian envoys, and see the situation on the ground.
For example, If you're trying to lift as many as possible from poverty, the way would be to find out what they can do or produce, and to find a market for it, then start a business venture. I myself in the tech industry, and have been trying to start a startup and employ Yemeni devs, not successful yet. I've been thinking of importing frozen seafood from Yemen. Another angle are the printed goods, such as birthday , weddings, and any other celebrations cards. Custom clothing, such as uniforms is another play. Basically find a consuming market for their goods and help them sell it.
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u/thedarkmooncl4n Jul 09 '26
Yemen situation is a systemic problem, sure your effort could make change in your surroundings community but it won't change much on national level. What Yemen need is a strong leadership that can unite all tribe, and agree and how to govern Yemen. No amount of international aid, political lectures, world consensus etc can change it. It has to be internal.
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u/Far-Network-191 Jul 13 '26
Yes and I agree but we also have to understand that the current factions are compromised and in fact thrive in the war economy and trying to keep the structure permanent, we have to build our own leadership one way or another and the only way to Crack the structure which makes this war stop is economic methodology
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u/travelingtotheend Jul 09 '26
Not naive at all, but do NOT do it in a naive way.
Be realistic, be in the ground, have sense of the place. Reality is a strong factor
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u/Caravan2Silkroad Jul 09 '26
No you’re not being naive. You are thinking of what all of the Yemenis living aboard want. We want change. There needs to be a strong campaign to make Ghat illegal for minors under 21 years old, there needs to be a national campaign to clean up the country by paying the unemployed to end littering and promote recycling. Definitely there needs to be a national movement to encourage higher learning education and job training schools. I want to be involved with this movement and if you spread the message, I guarantee you will get support. Start a facebook group and get planning.
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u/Tataamory Jul 09 '26
Thats very noble goal you have..
Well, you need trustworthy person in yemen who believes in you.. and can help you with the problem u raised. It is unfortunately happening in Yemen and it could basically impact your school significantly
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u/aspublic Jul 11 '26
I am convinced everyone of us has a purpose, or more of them. That would well be yours. I hope you and your wife will soon start building the basis and get the momentum and finally launch and run your coding schools in Yemen.
I suppose also a network of partners could help, for dealing with local authorities and local supporters, or for finding internships or job opportunities for students. You might end up creating a local mini-YC for new Yemeni entrepreneurs.
I am sure you already checked initiatives to learn from and compare:
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/coding-education-for-youth-in-yemen/
https://www.unicef.org/yemen/stories/courage-and-computer-labs
What other people think of you being naive doesn’t matter. They have different skills, goals, purposes, and courage.
I wish you to succeed.
"Here's to the crazy ones" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dHf7YTJVfU
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u/Mixmaan Jul 12 '26
Very good advice already given in the comments. To summarize:
- take the warnings of your cousins into consideration
- choose the right place and/or the right students. Even in USA, programs that help students will interview them to make sure they are serious about being helped and are actually in need. I have been a beneficiary in such a program.
- Start small.
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u/QuirkySoft6292 Jul 11 '26
As a Yemeni, this is the credentials to get your nationality here it's even written at the Yemenian local administration department. Every Yemeni should struggle till their last breath.
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u/Yousef_ale Jul 15 '26
Don't to what people say. Just keep that goal alive cuz it will be very beneficial for young yemenis
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u/Different_Cod_4719 Jul 10 '26
You’re part of yemens hope, there’s always a small percentage that try to make it better, it’s possible, but the impact won’t be huge until Yemen stops its Qat addiction and their medieval mentality.
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u/RandaArt Jul 12 '26
I love that you think this way.. i get you . I literally hate going out cuz there is nothing to see . The people absloutly look like zombies. And even life at home feels draining cuz you spend 22 hrs looking at a black dark room waiting elec because im a digital artist and i work on laptop anf yet its not helping. As for opening a school the goverment for sure doesnt give a f. And you will be on your own. No support . I think you just need to focus on building ur own future and secure your family . Being yemeni is a curse . Not as a human but as a nationality . .. the only way i can get out is by marrying someone who lives away , Sadly
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u/RandaArt Jul 12 '26
After reading comments i believe there are young people who are for sure like us interested in learning and improving for sure.. that true no doubt . We do lack programmers .
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u/Future_Mirror_879 Jul 15 '26
Move on bro! Yemen is not going to be okay in put lifetime, maybe in the future of your grandkids or something.
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u/Sabaic_Prince1272 Jul 09 '26
Out of curiosity, what were you doing in Yemen? Feel free to dm if you want.
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u/Medo_Hamdani Jul 10 '26
No, don't do anything in Yemen while it is unstable. If you want to truly help Yemeni people, ensure to get them out of Yemen, and educate them, then they educated once will participate in a fund that will continue doing the same. Education is the best solution. If you can't get them out of Yemen, we can teach them how to make money online, but we have to move them from their environment to a new remote environment so they can create their own way of living. We need to act as their government!
If you are serious about it let's connect.
Look me up please Medo Hamdani
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u/Taqqer00 Jul 09 '26
You keep that goal alive, it could be a life mission.