Project Concept # 5.

3: Establishing Vocational Training Centre (Sana’a)

RBM Objective Group: Community Participation and Self Management

Project Title Establishing Vocational Training Centre.

Agency UNHCR
Funded by
RBM Sectors Self reliance and Livelihoods
Overall Objectives 1. Providing opportunities to refugees to gain skills which will increase
their chances of finding gainful employment and achieving self
reliance.
2. Increased interaction between refugees and host communities.
Beneficiaries Urban refugee population in Sana’a and their hosting communities.
Partners Ministry of Technical Education and Vocational Training/ILO
Duration 12 Months
Estimated cost 583,600 USD

Summary of identified gaps:

Urban refugees in Sana’a and have very limited opportunities to gain useful skills which would
enable them to have access to the labour market and provide for themselves. Despite the fact that
there are no formal restrictions on refugees to engage in trade and self-employment, very few
refugees are able to do so due to a lack of assistance with skills training and micro-credit
schemes. Consequently refugees are often seen begging in the streets of Sana’a and Aden and
many refugee women are even forced to resort to prostitution and survival sex in order to be able
to provide for their dependents.

In Sana’a, UNHCR’s implementing partner CSSW runs a large skills training scheme which
focuses only on electronics, carpentry, hairdressing, tailoring and computer training. These skills,
while certainly beneficial, are not sufficient and only benefit 80 to 120 refugees per year.
UNHCR is hoping to expand the program with CSSW to include other valuable skills such as
mechanics, carpentry and electrical work.

The Ministry of Technical Education and Vocational Training in Yemen also runs vocational
training centres. However, there are very few centres available and demand is extremely high.
UNHCR has established a dialogue with the Ministry to explore possibilities of allocating space
for refugees on the courses and a few refugees are currently enrolled. While the Ministry has
indicated that there is no objection in principle to including refugees on the courses, the centres
have very limited capacity and many Yemenis themselves have to wait for years before they are
able to enroll, which means that there will be extremely limited spaces for refugees unless more
centres are constructed.

Yemen lies along the bottom of the development index and despite its open door policy toward
Somalis, it is not able to offer substantial vocational training to refugees without extensive
international assistance.

Activities proposed:

1. Establish 2 vocational training centres in partnerships with the Ministry of Vocational

Training. Places on the courses will split 50/50 between Yemenis and refugees. The Ministry
of vocational training in consultation with other GOY departments will provide the land
which will be used for constructing the training centre. UNHCR will assist with the

1
 construction of the buildings. Half of the trainers’ salaries will be paid by UNHCR and half
will be paid by the Ministry. UNHCR will assist the Ministry with the procurement of
machinery, tools and materials which will be needed for the courses. The Ministry will be
responsible for the administrative running of the centre including payment of utility bills,
guards and insurance.

2. Provide training in the fields of mechanics, carpentry, electrical work, plumbing,

welding, tailoring and computer training. The duration of the courses will range from 6
months to 2 years. After completing a certain period of training students will get on-the-job
training with the products or services marketed through the centre to generate income.

3. Establish a micro-credit find for students to start their own business or market their
products/services once the courses are completed. The fund will be managed by the Ministry
and the cost will be shared between the Ministry and UNHCR.

The vocational training centres will be accredited by the government and official certificates will
be issued to the students upon completion of the courses. This would further increase the chances
of refugees finding employment once they complete the course.

Expected outcome:

1. A significant number of refugees gain valuable skills and are able to engage in gainful
employment and become self reliant.
2. Reduced instances of begging, prostitution and survival sex among the refugee population.
3. The local population is more accepting and welcoming of the presence of refugees in
Yemen.

Suggested costs:

Activities Units No. of Cost per Total USD

Units Unit
Construction of vocational training Centres 1 300,000 300,000
centres.
Furniture and equipment for 1 centre. Lump Sum 50,000 50,000
Incentives for 7 Trainers Months 12 400 33,600
Procurement of machinery and Lump Sum 50,000 50,000
material.
Micro-credit Fund. Entrepreneur 300 500 150,000
Total 583,600