When I was little back home girls were not allowed to do anything, girls were not allowed to go to school. But my Mum pushed me to go to school so I tried to grab every opportunity. I used to go dancing, singing, but when my family found out I got beaten up. Then I discovered arts and crafts and my family would just tell me why do you do this? I got old materials and clothes, I would get branches of sticks and make a dolly, it was something that was just in me.

When I got older and I started working in the rural areas in the Yemen encouraging women to make their own stuff to make their own clothes and to generate their own income. At that time I was working with Save the Children and the USA government.

And I used to help women make things from whatever they’ve got. They didn’t have to go and spend money, they could recycle the goods that they have. Sometimes they used cow dung to make lightening for the fire, or mud to make an oven for the cooking.

As I got a bit older I would see my sister sewing and when she was out I’d go and touch her sewing machine and play with it while she was not there. If she come and find out I’ve done it I got beaten up. That’s the way where I had to teach myself and get where I am at the moment.