KSrelief to empower Yemeni women in renewable energy

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It provides vocational training for 375 women on solar energy use, life skills, and business management, as well as training guides on solar lanterns and traditional ovens. (SPA)
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It provides vocational training for 375 women on solar energy use, life skills, and business management, as well as training guides on solar lanterns and traditional ovens. (SPA)
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It provides vocational training for 375 women on solar energy use, life skills, and business management, as well as training guides on solar lanterns and traditional ovens. (SPA)
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Updated 05 February 2025
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KSrelief to empower Yemeni women in renewable energy

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief, in cooperation with the UN Development Programme, launched a project in Aden to empower Yemeni women in renewable energy initiatives.

The project includes establishing 375 small programs for producing and marketing solar-powered household devices, such as lanterns, stoves, and traditional ovens, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

It provides vocational training for 375 women on solar energy use, life skills, and business management, as well as training guides on solar lanterns and traditional ovens.

Moreover, the initiative supplies alternative solar energy sources, including basic lighting and household cooking devices produced by women-led businesses in Hadramout and Lahij, benefiting 21,375 women.

UNDP project manager Alaa Ali said the project focuses on meeting the energy needs of vulnerable communities and creating sustainable livelihoods for Yemeni women.

Ali noted that it aims to enhance women’s participation in solar energy businesses and expand renewable energy use for household activities and lighting.

The UNDP official indicated that the initiative will also support women in establishing market-driven projects that meet local community needs, boost economic opportunities for rural women, improve the quality of life for them and their families, and promote sustainable development.

The initiative is part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to empower women in Yemen by providing them with tools to generate income and strengthen their role in society.


Alwaleed Philanthropies allocates $15 million for global polio eradication efforts

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Alwaleed Philanthropies allocates $15 million for global polio eradication efforts

  • The new contribution will support frontline vaccination campaigns, disease surveillance and rapid outbreak response over three years

DAVOS: Alwaleed Philanthropies, chaired by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Al-Saud, renewed its commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative on Thursday with a $15 million contribution during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland.

The announcement was made by Princess Lamia Bint Majed Al-Saud, secretary general of Alwaleed Philanthropies, and Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation.

The new contribution will support frontline vaccination campaigns, disease surveillance and rapid outbreak response over three years, helping the program reach children in vulnerable and conflict-ravaged areas through the Gates Philanthropy partners.

The donation comes at a pivotal moment for the global effort to end polio, as the program intensifies operations in the last remaining endemic countries and responds to outbreaks worldwide.

With cases of wild poliovirus now confined to just two countries — Afghanistan and Pakistan — sustained political leadership and financing remain essential to protect hard-won gains and ensure that no child is left behind.

The princess said the contribution “builds on Alwaleed Philanthropies’ long-standing support for global health and its partnership with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, reinforcing the critical role of philanthropy in addressing some of the world’s most complex public health challenges.”

Gates said that polio eradication “is within sight, but the last mile is the hardest.” He added: “Alwaleed Philanthropies’ latest commitment is exactly the kind of leadership the world needs to build a future where no family has to live in fear of polio paralyzing their child.”

Mike McGovern, chair of the Polio Oversight Board, said sustained support enables organizations to reach children in vulnerable and remote communities and to preserve the progress made over the past four decades.

Launched in 1988, the GPEI, led by national governments and supported by its core partners, has reduced polio cases by more than 99 percent and protected over 20 million people from paralysis.

The World Health Organization and UNICEF play a leading role, working alongside governments and communities to sustain access, build trust and ensure that polio eradication efforts reach the most vulnerable children.