Yemen: After 44 Years of Work Together, A Loving Farewell to UNICEF : Fawzia Kaid Al-Hamdani / Habib Hammam

Please find below the retirement message that Ms. Fawzia Al Hamdani, National Finance Officer, Yemen sent to colleagues after 44 years of service. The letter speaks for itself to all UNICEF colleagues and more broadly about the successful struggle of a an able and determined woman in Yemeni society. I take some pleasure and a lot of pride in having been the person who first recruited Fawzia to UNICEF when I was Representative in 1979 and worked with her again when I returned to Yemen 1997-2000. Her ability and personality always elicited respect and she set an example for many women in UNICEF and in Yemen to follow. I am receiving copies of many messages of love and admiration sent to her from Yemeni women whom she mentored over the years, imparting her love for UNICEF.

Habib

Dear Beloved UNICEF and Beloved Colleagues in Yemen and outside Yemen,

Deep and warm greetings from me,

For those who are new and don’t know me, I would like to introduce myself as the first Yemeni lady and one of the oldest staff at UNICEF Yemen in Sana’a. I am writing this email as I am going for retirement this month, this is a thanking message to UNICEF and its people National and International.

I have joined UNICEF on July 1979, when I was around 20 years old, and now I am leaving on the age of 62 years old. I am so happy and proud that I served the children of Yemen for forty-two years almost two thirds of UNICEF life as a finance person. In this email I will try to summarize my lovely long journey with UNICEF.

During my childhood educating girls was almost impossible. That if a girl is allowed to learn then she is enrolled only to the elementary school to be able to read and write. At that time, the society will not allow women to proceed with their education as their role in life was only to marry and raise children. Living in a society where it is shameful for women to work outside their house. My family was very restrictive, and education was not allowed for all girls in the family. However, I kept insisting father to allow me to go to school and finally he accepted. During my study I was recognized as the best student in class who always ranked the first. This main recognition had convinced my father to allow me to complete my education exceptionally.

In one turning point day, we had a vaccine campaign. I was trying to run not to have that sharp needle in my skin. The nurse was running after me and when she caught me, she told me that I have two choices, either to have the vaccine or to be sick with the smallpox disease as the poster on the wall. When I saw the poster, I got shocked, and this picture had affected me in how a needle can save people. Then I took the vaccine, and I asked the nurse who is providing these vaccines. UNICEF, the nurse replied. This was the first time to hear the name of UNICEF.

Another day in my life is that when the school distributed blue notebooks to the class. I stared and I loved the design of the logo of a mother holding her child. I got emotional at that moment, and I felt that I am connected to the logo especially that I lost my mother in my early childhood. I read the written words under the logo in Arabic language, it was UNICEF Organization. I went to the teacher and asked her what UNICEF is. The teacher explained that UNICEF is the organization that cares about mothers and children. And is the one that pays our incentives quarterly, and support education and health. This was the second time I heard about UNICEF.

When I was 20 years old, and during my study in the national institute for administration, I was nominated to attend the exam and the interview in an international organization. When I first entered the building, I saw that blue logo all around me, I saw the mother and the child in her hands. At that moment, my eyes teared and I knew that I was meant to love and to live with UNICEF.

When I joined UNICEF, I was not able to say one sentence in English. UNICEF encouraged me, educated me, and most importantly had empowered me to be strong and independent women. I will never ever forget the humanitarian treatment and engorgement to empower and support the staff. Also, I will never forget the size and UNICEF capacity in the 1980s comparing to now. We were around 25 persons in the office, now we are around 400 person. We had budget of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and now we have budget of billions of dollars. We used to manage all activities manually, now we are using global systems. We were few women, now I am so proud to see many empowered and well-educated women.

UNICEF became part of me and had given me life and power to provide me two daughters best life and strong education. UNICEF had given me the financial capability to support my family and relatives and to educate my relatives’ children. UNICEF had provided me all possible support especially during my sickness and during emergency situations in war. In return, I paid my life and did my best effort day and night in the finance unit to meet all work needs to ensure that UNICEF is implementing its actives that reached children.

I am now leaving UNICEF at the age of 62 and all what I want to say is many thanks to UNICEF and to all of you. However, what hearted me the most is that forty-two years ago Yemen children suffered to access education, health, and basic food supply. We had worked a lot to see many schools and primary health care centers built, many services were provided directly to the hands of the children. And now all what we had achieved by UNICEF had lost due to the war. Children now are suffering death, fear, sickness, hunger, and lack of education. Children now are suffering payment of teacher’s incentives. The war had destroyed everything beautiful and beneficial for all Yemeni people and children. This war had turned us back to 50 years ago.

However, I believe that UNICEF will pay more and more effort to re-build all what was destroyed. And will reach children in best and the most direct way. To seed UNICEF name in children’s mind with the best and most beautiful image just as I had. I hope that people love UNICEF just as I did.

UNICEF and all of you will never ever be forgotten till the rest of life.

Wishing you all the best success in your life and work.

Please find my below contact information to be in touch:

Email: hamdani.fawzia@gmail.com
Phone: 730166618 &712223408

Best Regards,
Fawzia

Fawzia Kaid Al-Hamdani
Finance Officer
UNICEF Yemen
Tel: +967 1 211 400
Ext:174
Mobile :712223408
E-mail : falhamdani@UNICEF.Org