Yemeni women support families through enterprise as economic crisis bites

Passing by Abu Sultan restaurant in Taiz, one cannot fail to notice the rare sight in Yemen of a husband and wife working side by side. They are united by a shared goal: securing a stable livelihood for their family and bringing a relatively new cuisine to the Yemeni city.

The husband-wife team serves up burgers, fries, pizzas, and fried chicken, a common sight in cities across the world but less so in Taiz, which has been under siege and bombardment during Yemen’s civil war.
Passing by Abu Sultan restaurant in Taiz, one cannot fail to notice the rare sight in Yemen of a husband and wife working side by side. They are united by a shared goal: securing a stable livelihood for their family and bringing a relatively new cuisine to the Yemeni city.

The husband-wife team serves up burgers, fries, pizzas, and fried chicken, a common sight in cities across the world but less so in Taiz, which has been under siege and bombardment during Yemen’s civil war.
“I got the idea while in Saudi Arabia and even brought some of the machinery back with me, but funding the entire project and managing it alone was incredibly difficult,” he recalled.

“It was my wife who stepped in, helping to fund the restaurant and taking charge of the management.”

Baleegh’s doubts about the viability of the business nearly drove him back to Saudi Arabia, but Aziza urged him to continue, handling the financial and managerial responsibilities to make it happen.
Greatest supporter
While women might not be a common sight in restaurants in Yemen, the country has a long tradition of matriarchal leadership. Arwa al-Sulayhi, of Yemen’s Sulayhid Dynasty, became the Muslim world’s first queen regent 960 years ago.

“Initially, society may have viewed a woman working in a restaurant with caution,” Aziza told Al Jazeera. “However, through perseverance and respect, I proved that a woman is capable of managing and succeeding in any field she chooses, and my husband was my greatest supporter.”

On the restaurant floor, Aziza welcomes customers, doing her utmost to make them feel comfortable so they come again. For a business that is only two months old, building a loyal, recurring customer base is critical, and her hands-on hospitality is already paying off.

“Work pressure exists everywhere, and we try to resolve any challenges early on,” she says.

This collaborative wife-husband dynamic, and Aziza’s attempts to make patrons feel welcome, are seeing customers return.

“The secret lies in the trust my husband placed in me from day one. We do not work under a ‘boss and subordinate’ system, but rather as partners in destiny,” she explained.