Our Team
We are a team with deep connection to both Yemen and Canada. Our lives were forever changed when we were extended the gift of opportunity through a scholarship program to study in Canada. Now it is our turn to pay it forward and support the communities we cherish in Yemen.
Waseela originated as a modest grassroots initiative in 2020, initially focusing on offering monthly cash transfers to families and individuals facing poverty in Lahij, Yemen. The support from our community of donors, even before formal recognition as a charity, was heartening. Witnessing the positive influence of these donations on families profoundly inspired us.
Initially provided without conditions, these funds often empowered recipients to initiate income-generating projects. This success prompted us to evolve our approach, embracing both immediate relief and financial backing for income-generating projects.
With this adaptation, our team expanded and our operations extended to Aden and Sana’a in Yemen. In 2023, we achieved charitable registration status, and our commitment to advancing this mission remains unwavering. We aspire to further our impact by expanding our efforts across various regions in Yemen.
Meet our team! Waseela teams are based in two different distinct geographical realms — Canada and Yemen.
In Canada, our team comprises of Board of Directors, focuses on steering the charity’s course, setting direction, reviewing cases and doing what they can to improve the lives of Yemenis facing poverty.
Venturing into Yemen, our dedicated volunteers, based in Aden, Lahj and Sana’a – they are the backbone of our organization and they are working to make a positive impact on the lives of those around them.
Canada
Yemen
Marsilya Al-Darbi
Volunteer, Lahij
Zaher Saad
Volunteer, Lahij
Aidah Ghaleb
Lubna Baessa
Volunteer, Sana’a
Eman Rafeq
Volunteer, Sana’a
Founding Effort Acknowledgment
We extend heartfelt gratitude to Manila Al-Darbi and Maryam Abdullah for their significant role in establishing Waseela. Even though they are no longer with our team, we recognize that our current standing is indebted to their initial efforts. In 2020, Manila, Maryam and Heba, laid the foundation for Waseela as a small grassroots initiative. Their dedicated efforts were critical in sustaining the initiative and shaping Waseela into the organization it is today.