Abyan is a rural governorate of Yemen that is still recovering from the conflict of 2011–2012 that damaged homes, livelihoods, businesses, schools and youth centers. One of Yemen’s leading producers of fruits and vegetables, Abyan is representative of many areas in Yemen with a large youth population. Here, as elsewhere, youth often feel they have little relevance in their communities.
Nabil, who is from Abyan’s capital, Zinjibar, enjoys soccer and being with other young people. Yet, like many young Yemenis, he feels that they have few outlets and spaces for expression and for moving the people of Abyan beyond just reconstruction to stronger, more vibrant communities.
Empowering Youth to be Change Agents
With three-quarters of Yemen's population under the age of 25, the idea of engaging youth is a powerful one. That is the goal of the USAID-funded Promoting Youth Community Engagement (PYCE) project, administered by Amideast since 2011.
Nabil is a member of the PYCE Peer Network, a cadre of more than 600 youth trained by PYCE to serve as peer models and leaders capable of identifying community needs and carrying out activities to address them. With PYCE’s support, they have provided training, educational, community awareness, and recreational activities to more than 9,000 at-risk youth in Abyan and four other governorates: Aden, Sana’a, Lahej, and Marib.
As a Peer Network member, Nabil has hosted workshops on first aid and volunteerism and administered sports and literacy competitions in schools. Using the teamwork skills that PYCE stresses, he has coordinated activities that he feels are important for his community, including campaigns to encourage volunteerism, a clean environment, and support for a variety of community-based associations focused on youth and women.
Youth Leaders Are Key
Young leaders like Nabil are key to the sustainability and vibrancy of Yemeni communities even in this transitional phase. During the current turmoil, many participants in the PYCE program are taking the lessons they learned to support their communities by volunteering with the Red Crescent, organizing blood drives, helping out in overburdened clinics, and supporting internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Youth can make a difference “when they communicate their ideas clearly and then cooperate with community leaders such as youth center leaders, school principals, imams, businessmen and businesswomen of all types,” Nabil believes. “PYCE has helped me discover my abilities in communications. It has helped me learn how to ‘merge’ with my community, to identify community leaders, and to feel comfortable communicating with them through the various project activities, whether their purpose has been sports, social, or volunteerism. All of them serve our communities.”
Nabil’s commitment to his community has been noticed. In March 2015, he was appointed the media and information administrator of Hassan Sports and Culture Club, an affiliate of the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Zinjibar. In his new role, he is determined to convey that the club is “alive even with all of the extraordinary circumstances in Yemen today.”
