Rahma Shanzour

Yemen – Between the narrow alleys of war and the blazing frontlines in the city of Taiz, Yemeni activist Maha Awn forged an exceptional path in humanitarian work and peacebuilding, turning the harsh years of conflict into a field experience that led her from local voluntary initiatives to regional and international platforms concerned with women, youth, and peace issues.

Moving between the dangerous areas of clashes and managing humanitarian initiatives in the most damaged places, Maha Awn managed to impose her presence as a youth voice seeking to alleviate the effects of war, empower women, and enhance social cohesion in a city exhausted by years of conflict.

"I used to move from one area under the control of one party to another area under the control of another party." This scene was not an exception in the life of Maha Awn, executive director of the "Kayani Peace and Development" Foundation; it was a routine she lived with between 2015 and 2016, when the Yemeni conflict was at its most violent.

Her humanitarian and community work

Maha Awn's involvement in community work was not linked to the conflict. Since 2011, she was engaged in youth initiatives focusing on psychological support, humanitarian activities, and the empowerment of women and youth. However, the outbreak of conflict in 2015 completely changed her life after university studies stopped and the city turned into an open battlefield.

She says: "I began community work from 2011‑2012, with youth initiatives focusing on psychological support, humanitarian activities, and the empowerment of women and youth." She adds: "I gained considerable experience in community work, but 2015 changed everything."

Maha Awn recalls that year: "We were at the university, and suddenly armed manifestations appeared in the university. I expected studies to stop for a week or two, but they stopped for a full year."

But instead of breaking down, she saw in that phase an opportunity to play a greater role. She turned to field humanitarian work, moving between contested neighborhoods to participate in relief projects and provide assistance to affected families, at a time when security risks and the difficulty of movement were part of her daily life.

Maha Awn enumerates the groups affected by the conflict: "We are talking about the displaced woman, the doctor, the teacher, the student girl – all of these were greatly affected. Pressures and burdens multiplied. Socially, the woman became the family's economic provider; she goes out to look for work, and at the same time, she supports and raises the children at home."

Maha Awn described 2016 as a year immersed in humanitarian work. She moved between areas controlled by different parties to continue her activities, from water supply teams to food basket initiatives and humanitarian transformation projects in which she participated with youth groups.

She recalls her greatest difficulties: "The difficulty of movement and the security aspect. Sometimes I had to sit for an hour or two until the clashes calmed down so I could cross to the other side, not to mention the difficult economic and living situation. The whole society in Yemen, especially Taiz, went through exceptional circumstances."

By 2017‑2018, as the humanitarian crisis escalated, her interest expanded to include issues of peacebuilding and community conflict resolution, based on the conviction that the war had not only created a humanitarian crisis but also produced social divisions within local communities themselves.

Peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and empowerment

She explains: "War generated community conflicts within the same neighborhood and small communities over simple issues. I believed that peacebuilding comes from the grassroots, so I focused on resolving local conflicts." She adds: "Economically, socially, and politically empowering women and youth, youth initiatives – all of this is linked to peacebuilding, as well as the humanitarian aspect, recovery, and emergency situations. From that period until now, I work on peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and the empowerment of women and youth, whether individually or institutionally."

Today, Maha Awn stands at multiple success stations, each with its own mark. However, what she is most proud of is her work on cash transfer projects in 2016. She says she was among the few who worked directly in frontline areas, where she was able to influence numerous parties and institutions to enter hard‑to‑reach areas. Thanks to her efforts, humanitarian teams were able to reach families in desperate need of support and assistance, after those entities had faced great difficulties entering war zones previously.

She adds: "Between 2016 and 2018, through my own efforts, I was able to economically empower more than a hundred women and over fifty young people in small projects. This is a great success station in my journey."

International work

Maha Awn's journey was not limited to local work. Between 2019 and 2026, she moved into international work. This visibility earned her local and international recognition. In addition to recognition from organizations such as "Fellowship," she says: "I was selected by UN Women among more than 47 people in the Middle East and North Africa to work directly on women's issues and gender equality."

Today, Maha Awn is studying for a master's degree in history and political science, focusing on "mediation and negotiation." This specialization is not only academic but an extension of a field experience she underwent in mediating between two conflicting parties to open roads and address security issues.

She aspires to complete her PhD and then work in "international conflict resolution, or in embassies, or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs." But her greatest ambition, as she describes it, is "a ceasefire – this is the demand of every young man and woman in Yemen or Taiz. Stopping the war is linked to living a safe and productive life that brings change to all members of society." She adds: "I also aspire to an incubator that empowers youth and women and raises their awareness in all fields. Economic empowerment is the foundation. When women's living conditions improve, they can think about participating in peacebuilding and political work."

Rahma Shanzour

Yemen – Between the narrow alleys of war and the blazing frontlines in the city of Taiz, Yemeni activist Maha Awn forged an exceptional path in humanitarian work and peacebuilding, turning the harsh years of conflict into a field experience that led her from local voluntary initiatives to regional and international platforms concerned with women, youth, and peace issues.

Moving between the dangerous areas of clashes and managing humanitarian initiatives in the most damaged places, Maha Awn managed to impose her presence as a youth voice seeking to alleviate the effects of war, empower women, and enhance social cohesion in a city exhausted by years of conflict.

"I used to move from one area under the control of one party to another area under the control of another party." This scene was not an exception in the life of Maha Awn, executive director of the "Kayani Peace and Development" Foundation; it was a routine she lived with between 2015 and 2016, when the Yemeni conflict was at its most violent.

Her humanitarian and community work

Maha Awn's involvement in community work was not linked to the conflict. Since 2011, she was engaged in youth initiatives focusing on psychological support, humanitarian activities, and the empowerment of women and youth. However, the outbreak of conflict in 2015 completely changed her life after university studies stopped and the city turned into an open battlefield.

She says: "I began community work from 2011‑2012, with youth initiatives focusing on psychological support, humanitarian activities, and the empowerment of women and youth." She adds: "I gained considerable experience in community work, but 2015 changed everything."

Maha Awn recalls that year: "We were at the university, and suddenly armed manifestations appeared in the university. I expected studies to stop for a week or two, but they stopped for a full year."

But instead of breaking down, she saw in that phase an opportunity to play a greater role. She turned to field humanitarian work, moving between contested neighborhoods to participate in relief projects and provide assistance to affected families, at a time when security risks and the difficulty of movement were part of her daily life.

Maha Awn enumerates the groups affected by the conflict: "We are talking about the displaced woman, the doctor, the teacher, the student girl – all of these were greatly affected. Pressures and burdens multiplied. Socially, the woman became the family's economic provider; she goes out to look for work, and at the same time, she supports and raises the children at home."

Maha Awn described 2016 as a year immersed in humanitarian work. She moved between areas controlled by different parties to continue her activities, from water supply teams to food basket initiatives and humanitarian transformation projects in which she participated with youth groups.

She recalls her greatest difficulties: "The difficulty of movement and the security aspect. Sometimes I had to sit for an hour or two until the clashes calmed down so I could cross to the other side, not to mention the difficult economic and living situation. The whole society in Yemen, especially Taiz, went through exceptional circumstances."

By 2017‑2018, as the humanitarian crisis escalated, her interest expanded to include issues of peacebuilding and community conflict resolution, based on the conviction that the war had not only created a humanitarian crisis but also produced social divisions within local communities themselves.

Peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and empowerment

She explains: "War generated community conflicts within the same neighborhood and small communities over simple issues. I believed that peacebuilding comes from the grassroots, so I focused on resolving local conflicts." She adds: "Economically, socially, and politically empowering women and youth, youth initiatives – all of this is linked to peacebuilding, as well as the humanitarian aspect, recovery, and emergency situations. From that period until now, I work on peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and the empowerment of women and youth, whether individually or institutionally."

Today, Maha Awn stands at multiple success stations, each with its own mark. However, what she is most proud of is her work on cash transfer projects in 2016. She says she was among the few who worked directly in frontline areas, where she was able to influence numerous parties and institutions to enter hard‑to‑reach areas. Thanks to her efforts, humanitarian teams were able to reach families in desperate need of support and assistance, after those entities had faced great difficulties entering war zones previously.

She adds: "Between 2016 and 2018, through my own efforts, I was able to economically empower more than a hundred women and over fifty young people in small projects. This is a great success station in my journey."

International work

Maha Awn's journey was not limited to local work. Between 2019 and 2026, she moved into international work. This visibility earned her local and international recognition. In addition to recognition from organizations such as "Fellowship," she says: "I was selected by UN Women among more than 47 people in the Middle East and North Africa to work directly on women's issues and gender equality."

Today, Maha Awn is studying for a master's degree in history and political science, focusing on "mediation and negotiation." This specialization is not only academic but an extension of a field experience she underwent in mediating between two conflicting parties to open roads and address security issues.

She aspires to complete her PhD and then work in "international conflict resolution, or in embassies, or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs." But her greatest ambition, as she describes it, is "a ceasefire – this is the demand of every young man and woman in Yemen or Taiz. Stopping the war is linked to living a safe and productive life that brings change to all members of society." She adds: "I also aspire to an incubator that empowers youth and women and raises their awareness in all fields. Economic empowerment is the foundation. When women's living conditions improve, they can think about participating in peacebuilding and political work."