Bassam Al-Hakimi

The idea of establishing a youth organization concerned with urbanization, contributing to the advancement of society, and mobilizing youth energies was not just a passing initiative, but rather an expression of an advanced awareness of the scale of challenges and opportunities in Yemen. This idea took shape in the minds of ambitious young Yemenis, led by Professor Hussein Al-Suhaili, during the years 2011 and 2012, to transform on May 25, 2013, into a genuine institutional entity: Tamdeen Youth Foundation. Its first activities included a community monitoring project on the performance of government institutions in Taiz Governorate, placing the principles of transparency and accountability at the heart of its vision for sustainable local development.

With the onset of the humanitarian crisis that swept through Yemen in 2015, we at Tamdeen Youth Foundation felt our humanitarian and national responsibility. Our focus quickly and effectively shifted towards monitoring the deteriorating humanitarian situation, following the conditions of those displaced by the war, and communicating with international actors in the humanitarian field, foremost among them the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UNICEF, and the World Health Organization. Thanks to these efforts, the Foundation was able to open humanitarian corridors to relieve civilians in the city of Taiz, distribute more than 120,000 liters of water in Al-Mudhaffar district, and provide oxygen cylinders to hospitals, in addition to supporting kidney dialysis centers with filtered water, under extremely difficult circumstances. Subsequently, the Foundation expanded the scope of its work to respond to the urgent needs of the population, especially in areas of conflict and displacement.

The Foundation's efforts were not limited to humans only, but also included unique initiatives such as rescuing animals in Al-Houban Park in Taiz Governorate, which had been cut off from food and care due to the war. This humanitarian campaign received a rapid response from the Italian organization INTERSOS, which enabled the provision of medical, nutritional, and nursing needs for the animals, in a step that reflects the depth of the Foundation's humanitarian commitment.

Today, as we celebrate twelve years since the establishment of Tamdeen Youth Foundation, we are proud of what it has become: a solid institutional entity that competes with international organizations that possess decades of experience. The Foundation has established its presence in civil society and the humanitarian work system through its achievements in various sectors, from emergency response to economic empowerment of youth and women, local development, climate action, and environmental protection.

On this occasion, I express my deep pride and honor in the achievements made, and I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the founder, Professor Hussein Al-Suhaili, and to everyone who has contributed to the Foundation's journey, from its dedicated team to every young man and woman who has worked or volunteered in it. I also especially thank our national and international partners, and our local communities that have given us their trust and have been the real motivation for everything we have achieved and will achieve in the future.

Tamdeen Youth Foundation has proven that investing in the energies of youth, when coupled with will and knowledge, is capable of making a profound impact on people's lives, contributing to the recovery of societies, and even leading change in the darkest and most complex times.