29 September 2007
A smile of joy lit up the faces of over 6000 students in the areas neighbouring the Yemen LNG project as they received the donated school bags and stationery items for the new school year 2007/2008. Even happier were those of them in the coastal areas who are now enjoying new student desks, being schooled in newly constructed classrooms and whose teachers received new accommodation. The upgrades to Al-Ayn bay schools in Shabwah included building one new school and renovating and constructing new classrooms, facilities and teachers accommodations in three existing schools, in addition to furniture.

“I am particularly delighted”, said the Company’s General Manager, Joel Fort, “that Yemen LNG has been able to contribute in real terms to the development of the educational sector fulfilling its commitment to help communities living in the vicinity of its operations”. Mr Fort’s statement was delivered at a ceremony held at Al-Jewairi school, 30 km West of Balhaf, on 4 September marking the completion of upgrades and expansion to, Rodhoum District schools, and the finalisation of distribution of school bags to students in 37 villages along the coast and the pipeline route.

“Residents of these areas appreciate Yemen LNG’s care and support .” said Mohamed Saeed Bakadam, the Chairman of Al-Jewairi Village Committee on behalf of 26 recipient community representatives attending the launching ceremony. The appreciation was also recited in the voice of a local poet from Al-Jewairi village.

“The happy faces of children are testimonial of their happiness to begin the new school year with schools being upgraded and expanded and school bags and stationery provided,” said the Director General of Public and External Relations of the Ministry of Oil and Minerals, Aref Muharram, on behalf of the Minister.

From his part, the educational office representative in the district (Abdullah Salem Basrdah) expressed his happiness to see such projects being implemented for the benefit of local villages in the area. The support, according to him, complements the efforts by local governments to promote schooling.



The programme is being expanded to include later this year construction and expansion works in five additional schools on the pipeline route and construction of ten other schools between 2008 and 2009.


Other key guests included the Secretary General of the Local Council of Rodhoum District of Shabwah Governorate, representatives from committees of recipient villages and Al-Jewiri community members as well as several Yemen LNG managers and staff.