Layan, 17, student

When Layan went to Old Sana’a last week she wore a traditional dress of Yemeni women. The dress is full of colours - not black.

What do you see when you look out of the window?
I am my grandfather’s house right now. My grandparents are very fragile, so I spend some days with them to take care of them. I cook and do the housework. When I look out of the window of their living room, I see a rainbow right now that arises over the mountains of Sana’a and the Al Saleh Mosque, which is the largest mosque in Yemen. And I see a large garden, a newly built playground, and many beautiful trees.

What did you have for breakfast?
Peas, red tea with mint and hot bread

What do you miss the most?
I miss Yemen before 2011 and my childhood back then.

What has become the most important thing in your life?
My studies, they will determine my future.

A rainbow over Sana’a: Layan’s view from the living room window of her grandparents’ house.

Layan, it’s over a year ago since we published your first interview here on this documentary blog. Just give us a quick overview: How is the situation in Sana’a right now?
It’s calm and safe these days. And even the Covid-situation isn’t bad.

Well, that’s good news.
Yes - but I feel sad.

Why?
You know, with every day that passes, my fears grow. My hopes are wavering – sometimes they are getting stronger but then start fading away again. Here in Sana’a, there are no jobs, people still work, but they don’t get any salary. Many of them can’t afford to buy food as food has become very expensive. I see the sadness in people’s eyes while walking to school under the strong sunshine. I see parents asking people for money to feed their children. I see mothers looking for food in the trash bins around the streets. At the same time there are new luxury buildings being built. Sometimes I ask myself: What does this new government want?

Power, for sure.
Sure. But I guess, they want our lives to be miserable so they can be strong. You either obey or you die. So - being a teenage girl here, absolutely nothing helps you to grow up healthily like other girls in the world, you have no perspective for your future. Nothing motivates you to love and strive for the things you dream of. Neither society, nor traditions, nor your daily routine, just nothing. The appearances of a normal life are non-existent here.

“Sometimes I ask myself: What does this new government want?”

What do you mean with “the appearances normal life”?
With this I mean, that before I go to sleep, I wouldn't think of the war, of my uncertain future or of my parents' psyche to make life easier for me and my sisters and my little brother while it still is very difficult. And when I wake up in the morning, the only thing I would have to worry about is that my daily schedule is full of things that I love. I think this is normal life.

At the end of August, you started your last year of high school. Doesn’t that give you at least some kind of hope and motivation?
Of course. I am very ambitious and that again nurtures my hope. I study very hard. At the beginning of this week, I had two exams: Chemistry and English. I focused so much on the preparations that I deactivated all my apps on social media.

School starts at 7:30 in the morning and ends at 1:15 in the afternoon. Layan’s favourite subject is English.

Yes! I haven’t seen you on Instagram for a while. I started to worry!
I gave all my time for studying. I strongly believe that my last year of high school would be the beginning of a new life. But I start doubting that this is the case.

Why do you feel this isn’t the case?
Because there seem to be unjust procedures regarding the grades at the end of the year.

What do you mean?
We have heard a lot of stories of good students who studied hard and did well in their exams, but in the end didn’t get the grades they would have earned. Their grades weren’t good at all. Supposedly the people in the government who are responsible for the grades don’t give grades according to the quality of a student’s work but according to the amount of money they get from the student’s parents. The system is so corrupt. The government employees haven’t received any salary for years, so they take any money they get. They don’t care.

So, parents who have a lot of money, pay to get better grades for their kids? Whereas the kids of those parents who aren’t well off, risk to get bad grades – even if they excel at school?
Exactly. And even schools that have good relations with the current government generally get higher grades than others.

What does a school need to do to have good relations with the current government?
To push through gender segregation, for example. This is one of the new rules that the Houthis installed. Boys and girls must be separated in the classrooms and even during the break. If an institute doesn’t apply to this rule, it might be forced to close down. I don’t like that at all.

It’s often said that gender segregation aims at preventing women and girls from being harassed. Is there some truth in it?
No, not at all. The boys attack girls in the street, they harass them and talk badly. There is no education whatsoever that supports boys and teaches them how to behave.

What kind of education would boys and young men need?
They must get to know that they are not better than women in anything. They must learn equality.

“To rebuild my country, we need a cultural renaissance”

“I would like to end ignorance, to empower myself and other teens to dream, and to spread hope among the people.”

Layan, if you had the power to change something in your community, where would you start?
I would like the war to end so that we live in peace. To rebuild my country, we need a cultural renaissance. That means, we have to educate people to change their ancient idea that men are better than women, to strengthen education, to raise the level of people's awareness, to end ignorance, to empower myself and other teens to dream, and to spread hope among the people.

Cultural renaissance – I love this! And I strongly believe, that one day women like you can push this renaissance forward.
I hope. I try to pull myself together to make a difference in the future for Yemen and for all the teenagers who often live through the same tragedies as I do.

Are people ready for a cultural renaissance?
Unfortunately, I don't think so. It will be difficult to change the mindset of someone who has lived for decades. You have to educate them step by step. But I don't know how.

The war in Yemen has been going on for over six years now. What marks has it left on you?
See – a girl like me bears what a person ten years older than her bears because of what she experiences every day. I went through war, injustice, oppression, and depression. You know Helene, I always think that if I couldn’t escape from Yemen to study at a university abroad and complete my life, I would rather die than stay here. Life has become difficult, it has made everyone cruel, it has made me feel like a nobody in this world. I can’t take a period of recovery because this is my life. I feel sorry for the ambitious girl inside of me.

You are quite active on social media. In how far is this a form of escape?
Maybe it is one indeed. The phone serves no real purpose, but using the phone is the only thing we can do in our free time. I chat with my friends and watch movies and series.

Do you have a favorite?
Yes, my new favorite series is “New Amsterdam”. It’s about hospitals and patients.

“ I would love to have my own company one day, to open a chain of hotels and restaurants - if the government lets me”

A glimpse of the valley in the province of Ibb.

When was the last time you felt true happiness?
Last summer when we went to our valley in the province of Ibb. I haven’t been there for six years. We stayed at the house of relatives. Ibb is beautiful: the landscape is green and has a lot of terraces where farmers plant their seeds. I was so happy to be back here.

Moments of peace and happiness: At the house of her relatives in Ibb there is also room for rabbits.

You said you felt sorry for the ambitious girl inside of you. Let’s talk about her, about her dreams and ambitions. Because talking about her goals might get things moving. You say you want to study abroad.
Yes! I wake up every day and go to school hoping to graduate from high school and get a chance for a scholarship. I would like to go to any country that allows me to achieve my dreams, any country that allows me to live! I dream of studying international business to become a famous businesswoman. I would love to have my own company one day, to open a chain of hotels and restaurants - if the government lets me.

In Sana’a?
Of course. I want to make a difference in my country.