INEE Member Spotlight: Faiza Altamimi

Location: UK, originally from Yemen 

Title: Chevening Scholar & Nahda Makers Chairwomen 

Contact: Faiza.Altamimi@nahdamakers.org; Linkedin

Introduce yourself to other members. Tell us who you are and summarize the work you do or interest you have in EiE. 

My name is Faiza Altamimi, a UK Chevening Scholar, a beneficiary of one of the most prestigious UK scholarships provided to support youth leaders. I am doing my Master’s degree in Education & International Development  at the University of East Anglia,  as I would like to work towards protecting my country’s and all disadvantaged children's right to dream, enjoy their childhood, develop and have equal opportunities through safe access to inclusive and good quality education. I personally know what it means to live in a conflict affected country, as I, myself, faced additional requirements to secure my scholarship,which scholars from other countries were not required to submit themselves to. I fought to overcome obstacles and achieve my dream to deepen my academic knowledge and bring a global perspective to my education mission in my homeland, Yemen.

What has been a highlight of your work as a professional in EiE? 

INEE has empowered me with the technical skills to develop education arguments, frameworks, and standards. Through their guidelines, millions of teachers worldwide have been trained, thousands of projects have been designed based on the INEE Minimum Standards for Education in Emergencies, and extensive discussions about education have been initiated, influencing donors' agendas and bringing experts and practitioners together to focus on one thing – every child's right to education. In Yemen, the Education Cluster Framework was contextualized based on INEE's guidelines, including criteria such as the teacher-student ratio and learning space requirements. All education partners designed their projects accordingly, resulting in an effective and impactful education system in emergency situations.

When and why did you join INEE, and what is the value of INEE membership to you? 

INEE has been a crucial influence in my professional journey in education. Since joining 2018, I have been inspired by their global network, which serves as a reference for education workers, advocates, and local authorities worldwide. Their impact has extended beyond me, influencing millions of children and placing education at the forefront of both emergency and development discussions. 

During my time pursuing an advanced diploma in Education in Emergency at Geneva University, I relied heavily on the INEE resources, including The INEE Minimum Standards and Inclusion of Children with Disabilities. 

Despite our commitment to leaving no one behind, children with disabilities, or those with special needs, continue to face significant barriers to accessing education in Yemen due to limited technical capacity for designing gender-responsive programs and insufficient education funding. 

However, by utilizing the INEE guide, I was able to take action in 2022 during my work as Education Cluster Coordinator. I organized a joint workshop for the Ministry of Education (MoE), Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MOSAL), and key international and national organizations to advocate for these children's right to be considered during the education program cycle. While more effort is still required in terms of data collection and improving inclusive national strategies to create a comprehensive pathway between MoE and MOSAL, we were able to take small steps towards greater equity and fairness. For instance, we prioritized supporting education centers for these children under the Yemen Pool Fund (YHF).

How do you currently engage with the INEE network?  

Currently, I consider myself a beneficiary of INEE's resources. I receive regular updates from them, which keep me informed about their new publications, enable me to participate in webinars, and reference their resources in my academic studies. However, I am eager to transition from solely being a beneficiary to becoming a contributor to the INEE community.

How would you like INEE members to connect and engage with you? What skills, experience and/or technical support would you be willing to share or provide to other members and/or INEE Secretariat? 

As I continue to build my story with INEE, I am also working on a policy paper advocating for the incorporation of climate change education into education systems, with a particular focus on crisis-affected regions where this discussion still needs to be upgraded. Once again, INEE has been my go-to source for resources, including chapter 5 in Mind the Gap 2: Seeking Safe and Sustainable Solutions for Girls’ Education in Crises. This chapter has empowered my paper with valuable statistics and enriched it by adding gender perspective opportunities and impact. I plan to share this paper with the INEE community and continue working to enrich green education materials.

Digital education is another area where I am eager to contribute to Education in Emergencies (EiE). Economic reports indicate that within the next 20 years, 80% of job opportunities will be digitized. This figure has motivated me to pursue a master's degree in Digital Education barriers in Yemen. When it comes to digital learning, we need to move beyond the quality perspective and consider the future gender gap between developed and less developed countries. This gap threatens to limit future access to stable income, affecting the interrelated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Anything else you want to share with members?  

I am so  proud to be part of one of the most influential global networks in education, one which is founded on the fundamental right to education, working towards ensuring the right to a quality and safe education for all children  and thus  saving the whole future. Education promotes peace, life, dignity, fairness, and helps  prepare strong generations who together are able to safeguard our planet.

*Published on July 2023.