When the EU Delegation in Yemen asked MDF to design a training-of-trainers (ToT) trajectory for local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on EU grants management, I immediately saw both the potential and the complexity of the request. The ambition was to enable a group of Yemeni professionals from international NGOs operating in Yemen to become trainers and advisors for grass roots, local Yeman organisations navigating through EU-funded projects. While I did not expect them to become expert trainers overnight, my objective was to lay a strong foundation and create a safe learning environment and provide them with the skills and confidence to begin to be a trainer on how to manage an EU funded project.
Delivering this assignment came with two major challenges: first, ensuring the participants gained the essence, the core knowledge of EU grants management and two providing them with the skills to design and deliver engaging, participatory training in the MDF style which is interactive, learner-centered, and most of all fun.
A divided and fragile context
From the outset, we had to adapt to the reality of a divided country and a country at war. The ten selected participants came from both the northern and southern parts of Yemen, which raised logistical and security challenges. Because of the ongoing conflict led to security concerns which meant that the planned face-to-face trainings in Yemen were relocated to Amman, Jordan.
This context also affected simple things that I was not aware: like the use of printed training materials. I recall how proud I was at the end of the first workshop to give them a big binder containing all of the material needed for a trainer. Some participants told me that they could not take the binder with them because it could have raised concerns on the part of the authorities at the border and put them at risk. It was with relief that I copied all the material into a USB flash drive. Some of the participants who could travel with the binders took the binders of their colleagues and found a way to bring them.
Facilitating with cultural care
Beyond logistics, the context also required cultural awareness and sensitivity in facilitation. I learned this first-hand, and I should have been more prepared. When greeting the group, I instinctively extended my hand to a female participant, who politely declined. It was a brief but important reminder to remain attentive to religious and cultural norms. From that moment on, I made a conscious effort to respect personal boundaries and create an inclusive atmosphere where everyone could feel at ease.
As the facilitator, it was important to maintain professional distance and approach interactions with care, especially in group settings, ensuring that no participant, felt uncomfortable or exposed. Creating a respectful and welcoming learning space was a priority throughout the training.
Growth, creativity, and confidence
The first workshop in March was designed to provide the space for the Yemen trainers to cover the key messages of all the topics related to a workshop on EU grants management and the Train of Trainers (ToT) technics. During the ToT part of the workshop the participants worked in pairs and created their own training sessions on topics like procurement, visibility, and reporting. These are not always the most inspiring topics, but the creativity they brought to the sessions was impressive.
Seeing participants grow in confidence, especially those who initially felt hesitant, was deeply rewarding. Some had limited exposure to EU grants but compensated with their energy, with the peer support, and their inventiveness. To help them along the journey, I provided them with coaching sessions, detailed trainer notes, and space to rehearse and practice.
Practice makes progress
Following the first workshop, the EUD suggested a second phase where the new Yemen trainers would deliver a full training, in Arabic, to a group of peers from CSOs. We kept the same pairs who worked together during the first workshop and distributed evenly the 12-session programme across the three days. To help them prepare I organized five online coaching sessions and two days in-person preparation in Amman before the actual workshop.
During the D Day when the Yemen trainers delivered their sessions, I was there in the background, ready to support, encourage, and step in when needed. We debriefed at the end of each day, reflecting on what worked and what could be improved. The Yemen trainers were always eager to improve, and I saw them grow, blossom with every session. By the end of the week, I also saw them more confident, and the participants felt comfortable and more engaged.
The road ahead
This ToT was not about perfection. It was about laying down the foundation, giving committed individuals the skills and courage to step into the role of trainer. The evaluations reflected this: participants valued the participatory style, the peer-led approach, and the safe space created to learn and grow.
The journey is far from over but the seeds have been planted, and what I witnessed gives me great hope for what the Yemeni trainers will achieve in the months to come.
