This is Shooq
And I'm living normally as a Yemen Woman.
[Music]
This young woman comes from the
south coastal town called Mukalla
And it's been a very rough few years
living through this grueling civil war.
On April 2, 2015
Al-Qaeda attacked the central Bank
and seized millions of U.S. Dollars
before taking control
of the Presidential Palace.
Soon after, the entire city of Mukalla
was under their control.
Schools were shut, offices were closed
and many people were virtually
locked inside of their homes for 6 months.
But that was 4 years ago, and now,
daily life has gotten back to normal.
Life is so safe, we are like...
the safest government in Yemen
and we are having our normal life.
Shrooq is back in school
and doing very well.
I'm studying Architecture
and Environmental Planning.
And you're also studying English?
I'm not Studying English...
You just learned it like you're brilliant?
Yeah, I got it from Disney Channel.
Which movies?
Hannah Montana... Yeah, exactly.
When we think about Yemen
We tend to think about war and terrorism.
That's exactly what I thought before arriving here...
But things in Hadhramaut at least, the region that we are currently in
seems to be going okay
Sure, there's a lot of police checkpoints and security,
but what I've been seeing is markets that are lively,
late night concerts that are crowded
and a riverside that is charming
The city is honestly beautiful
People are out and about on the streets, just like in your hometown.
Okay, let's get back on topic to Shrooq and her role in Yemeni society.
There's no denying that being a female here overall
isn't as easy as in the Western World.