Meet Nazar, a workshop manager helping to build the capacity of his team, to ensure a brighter future for all Yemenis.

Nestled amongst a pile of papers and tools, we meet Nazar, 50, the Manager of the Aden Cleaning and Improvement Fund’s (CIF) Welding Department.

An Aden native, he thinks fondly of his home city. Channeling this love, he landed his job working for CIF to keep Aden beautiful. "When I returned from Russia in 2000, I started my career with CIF because I want to make a difference in Aden,” he explains.

Nazar began his work with the CIF as an administrative employee, but his quick wit and passion for learning led him to be quickly promoted. After a few years he was Deputy Manager of a workshop in Aden.

Despite his training in administration, Nazar was also passionate about technical work. He did not like to sit on a chair all day but did not yet have the same technical skills of his colleagues. “It is strange that my passion for technician work began when I participated in a mobile maintenance course, as there appeared a strange link between mobiles and the vehicles we maintain in the workshop. Perhaps because of the presence of electrical connections between the parts and the various components,” Nazar describes.

A testament to his dedication, Nazar was promoted to the CIF’s Welding Department in Darsaad district last October. With generous funding from Japan, the workshop just had a major makeover by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and in partnership with the Public Works Project (PWP).

"My appointment coincided with the restoration of the workshop as it resulted in a significant leap in our work. There are now buildings used as offices for management, bathrooms for employees, in addition to providing shade and hangars that protect employees from the heat of the sun." Nazar adds, "This resulted in a noticeable improvement in the quality of work and an increase in productivity."

"However, the most beautiful thing was the building of the people. The training courses targeting key staff have greatly benefited us, including the electronics, mechanics and hydraulic course, preventive maintenance, and administration. I participated in all of them."

"These courses constituted a major turning point in my professional life. They helped me to build an institutional system in the Central Workshop which improved our overall work quality and performance by organizing periodic maintenance, plans, and rules for truck drivers,” Nazar explains.

In addition to staff training and facility rehabilitation, the CIF in Aden also recently received 13 garbage collection trucks.

“The new garbage collection trucks are also a huge contributor to cleaning efforts that will help Yemenis for years. We are keen to service them regularly using the knowledge we obtained from the courses.”

Nazar works with the Central Workshop’s staff to establish other departments such as the heavy machinery welding department that was recently inaugurated. The new department helps to save significant sums of money previously spent on service providers, and considerably improves the speed and accuracy of work.

Nazar is keen to work with fellow technical staff and share his knowledge with the welders, car electricians, and other mechanical maintenance staff. When the need arises, he can be found in his office reviewing paperwork or discussing the development of the workshop with management. “My work with technical staff is to inspire them and give them more energy to continue working diligently. We have outstanding staff and I love learning from them. That’s why I like to divide my time between tools and papers.”

Nazar and his colleagues seek to further develop the CIF’s Central Workshop, especially staff capacity. “I think building people is more important than building urbanism, so I would like to invest in building a better cadre for the future.”

Funded by the Government of Japan, UNDP’s Crisis Support for Solid Waste, Water Supply and Sewage Institutions in Aden and Mukalla Cities project helps responsible institutions provide essential services in two major cities, to reduce epidemics, improve security and enable the people of Yemen to experience the advantages of peace. Project activities are expected to improve the quality of life by reducing water and solid waste related diseases, contribute to a stronger economy by increasing productivity; and contribute to stability by allowing communities to enjoy the benefits of peace.