LocationsA second chance at learning
April 14, 2025
Women Adult Literacy Centre students in Al-Houta, Lahj Governorate during class.
More than 80 percent of the population of Yemen in areas recently surveyed is currently living in multidimensional poverty. While the ongoing crisis has inflicted immediate and tragic consequences, its broader effects on the country’s economic development have been far-reaching, exacerbating pre-existing inequalities. These disparities continue to widen, deeply affecting the most vulnerable communities.
The education sector, too, has borne the brunt of this ongoing crisis. Numerous schools have been either damaged or repurposed for non-educational uses, and an estimated 3.2 million students are now out of school. Meanwhile, teachers face constant challenges, both within the classroom and beyond, diminishing their ability to effectively support students and maintain educational standards.
A run-down school in Lahj Governorate.
Literacy centres, vital for providing communities with a second chance at education and improving their livelihoods, now stand on the brink of collapse. If these challenges remain unaddressed, not only will the prospects for educational recovery be severely jeopardised, but communities’ long-term socio-economic development and well-being will remain firmly out of reach.
Local authorities in Lahj—alongside local authorities in eight other governorates—have ramped up efforts to restore education and revitalize economic prospects through the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Strengthening Institutional and Economic Resilience in Yemen (SIERY) Project.
Through targeted investments—ranging from equipping Ministry of Education offices and providing staff with continuous professional development, to rehabilitating adult literacy centres and schools— local authorities in Lahj are working to ensure that communities have access to the educational opportunities they so urgently need.
Intisar at the newly rehabilitated Women Adult Literacy Centre in Al-Houta, Lahj.
Intisar, Director of the Literacy and Adult Education Office in Lahj Governorate, outlines the challenges: "The most pressing issue in Al-Houta District’s education sector is the high dropout rate among girls. Poverty and other socio-economic factors have led many women and girls to abandon their education."
One of the project’s architects assessing the centre’s old building.
The Women Adult Literacy Centre in Al-Houta has been severely impacted by the ongoing conflict. The two-story building, aged and dilapidated, was in a state of disrepair, with cracked walls, unstable foundations, and a second floor that had entirely collapsed. Moreover, the lack of basic amenities such as electricity, plumbing, and restrooms has made the building unsafe and uninhabitable.
“Safer, better-equipped classrooms will attract women to join the centre which is crucial to reducing illiteracy and achieving progress for the community at large," adds Intisar.
Construction workers building a new, safe structure for women community members to learn in.
Supported by the SIERY Project, local authorities have provided technical training for Ministry of Education staff on a variety of topics, including strategic planning and budgeting. These skills enabled them to prioritise educational needs within local recovery plans. Subsequently, with grants made available from the SIERY Project, local authorities were able to address these priorities—one of which was the rehabilitation of the Women Adult Literacy Centre. Yet, the assessment revealed that the old building was too far gone, rehabilitation too expensive, and building new was the far better option. This would also provide opportunities to design and build according to needs, use modern techniques and prevent costly long-term maintenance.
An entire new building was designed with input from the local authorities, teachers and users, and completely furnished along with the provision of essential Information and Communication Technology equipment and new furnishings.
The newly restored Women Adult Literacy Centre.
“The new centre now receives over 40 students daily,” says the Director of the Women Literacy Centre. “The improvements have not only enhanced the working conditions for teachers but have also created a more welcoming environment for learners. We are confident that this intervention will make a meaningful impact on both education and community development.”
A woman student practicing her writing on a white board.
The centre now stands as a space where women can not only learn fundamental skills like reading and writing but also engage with their communities and enhance their livelihoods. By acquiring these essential skills, women are better equipped to pursue meaningful employment opportunities.
Faten with her classmates receiving a lesson at the centre.
Faten, one of the 350 women enrolled in the centre, offers a personal perspective: “Before, literacy classes were held in mosques or homes, but it was difficult to convince our families to let us attend. When we heard the new centre was opening, we were relieved. It's much closer and safer. Now, we can finally learn to read and write, which will help us teach our children and assist them with their schoolwork.”
A teacher delivering a class at the centre.
“I have already learned the alphabet and can read basic labels. It is so empowering. I am in the first grade now, and even though we have only been learning for a month, I have already gained so much,” says Faten. “I feel much more confident and empowered.”
A teacher helping one of her students practice her writing.
This project is just one of the 172 public priorities implemented across the 45 districts in nine governorates, thanks to the generous support of the European Union.
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