Yemen: Facing forwards

Yemen's civil society is still in an early growth phase but non-profits and pressure groups will play an important role in strengthening democratic institutions for the future.

I wrote last Friday about the need for a new trust to support girls who escape from early, unwanted marriages.

But I recently spent the morning at an incubator organization, the Youth Leadership Development Foundation, which is training the next generation of managers and administrators who will help the civil society sector to grow.

Samira is a university graduate who's taking part in a one-year communications course. I asked how it compared to her university studies.

"The groups are smaller and the teaching methods are more focused, applied and intensive", she said.

"My father suggested that I come here. I didn't want to do it at first, but it's made such a big difference to my life. I was so shy before and I didn't have any goals. Now, I'm so much more confident and my family tell me that I have changed a lot."

Samira's friend Ashwaq said the course had inspired her to apply for a Masters degree in the management of non-profit organizations. "Eventually, I want to be a businesswoman and a minister."

Such clear sight and ambition are precious among young women in Yemen – where female literacy rates run at around 30% and there is only one woman in parliament.

Programme co-ordinator Osama introduced me to 12-year-olds Maria and Manar on a summer scheme for school children. They're exact contemporaries of child bride Reem, who I wrote about in my Christian Science Monitor story.

The girls told me they were having great fun learning about teamwork and origami.

The pair want to share three careers: a professor, a doctor and a lawyer.

I wonder if Reem could get a place on one of the courses there?