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Through its Haith Al-Insan program in its seventh season, Tawakkol Karman Foundation has provided a fully equipped repair workshop to an engineer in Al-Musayni'ah, Al-Saeed district of Shabwa governorate. The beneficiary, Wajdi Nasser, lost his ability to move freely due to childhood polio, making daily life and work a constant struggle.
Wajdi was among the children whose movement was restricted by polio, making even short distances exhausting. For years, he rarely left his home. Yet, he refused to surrender to his circumstances and took the initiative to modify a motorcycle to suit his needs, enabling him to commute from home to his small repair shop, where he works on air conditioning and refrigeration systems, as well as other electronic repairs.
His journey with repairs, however, started long before. As a child, Wajdi first showcased his talent when he fixed his father’s broken radio. Word quickly spread in his village, and soon, people began bringing him radios that had stopped working. He also repaired the bicycle his father had gifted him, impressing his peers with his skills.
Determined to continue learning, Wajdi completed his primary and secondary education from home before traveling to Aden to enroll at the technical institute in Al-Mualla, specializing in air conditioning and refrigeration engineering. While there, he developed a customized communication device suited to his physical condition. In 2018, he began designing and modifying motorcycles for people with disabilities at an affordable price, enabling them to move freely without relying on others for transportation.
"I repair air conditioning and refrigeration units, all household electronics, and motorcycles," Wajdi said. "But I face several challenges—my workspace is too small, so I often have to work under the scorching sun. Additionally, I lack many essential tools and spare parts due to their high cost, forcing customers to travel elsewhere to get the necessary parts."
He added, "I dream of having a spacious workshop equipped with spare parts so that I can complete repairs without sending customers elsewhere."
Recognizing his perseverance, Tawakkol Karman Foundation intervened through Haith Al-Insan, expanding Wajdi’s workshop and providing him with all the necessary tools, spare parts, and equipment to support his work.
Expressing his deep gratitude, Wajdi said, "This support has made my work much easier. Before, I was struggling in a cramped space, but now, with a larger and shaded workshop, I can work comfortably. The new equipment has also helped improve my income, and I now have the opportunity to further develop my business beyond what it was before."
