The inspiring female engineer breathing new life into Yemen’s ancient capital — Global Issues

“There’s a widespread language between me and the buildings. In each home I attempt to protect. I really feel that the town is grateful to me, and I’m grateful to the town as a result of it has taught me quite a bit”, says Yemeni engineer Harbia Al-Himiary, describing her relationship with the Yemeni capital.

Ms. Al-Himiary has been striving since childhood to realize her dream of preserving the heritage of Sana’a, and guaranteeing “the continuity of our historical past, one of many biggest civilizations.”

As a challenge officer within the Cultural Heritage Unit of the Historic Cities Authority in Previous Sana’a, she is at the moment engaged on a UN-backed challenge to revive dozens of historic buildings in Sana’a and throughout Yemen.

‘There is no such thing as a distinction between a female and male engineer’

“There is no such thing as a distinction between a person or a lady in relation to preserving this historic metropolis,” she insists, stressing the respect between all members of the staff, in addition to the residents of the neighbourhoods wherein they work. “It’s true that we face challenges and difficulties however, by working as a staff, we transcend it. Now there are a variety of feminine engineers within the challenge, proving day-after-day that they’re aggressive on this subject, all contributing to the preservation of this jewel.”

On each challenge that she has labored on, Ms. Al-Himiary has tried to seek out alternatives for ladies and women. “For instance, once I was primarily based within the previous city of Zabid, we skilled numerous women in conventional constructing crafts, similar to woodwork, wooden decorations, stucco decorations, and carpentry. The extra alternatives for coaching we opened up, the extra we discovered an equal turnout of girls and boys. In some trades, women outnumbered the boys.”

When she requested one of many women why she was coaching in conventional carpentry, she informed Ms. Al-Humairi that, by restoring the wood decorations in her residence, she was each exercising her rights as one of many homeowners of the home, and preserving her, and her household’s, privateness.

“My recommendation to any woman is to decide on the sphere she likes, as a result of so long as she loves that subject, she will certainly achieve it,” declares the engineer. “With persistence, diligence and perseverance, you’ll absolutely achieve reaching the ambition you want.”