From cleaning the streets of Yemen to Islamic banking... This is how Ibrahim Kaatar succeeded.

Arab Sea Newspaper - News Updates

Arabian Sea - Al Jazeera Net: For 7 years, Ibrahim Kaatar started his day as a temporary contract worker in the Cleaning and Improvement Fund in the Hadramout coast of Yemen. A difficult and socially marginalized profession, but it was the only way to maintain a dignified life in a country where unemployment rates are high and the value of the currency is eroding. This daily struggle was not the end of his ambition, but a step on the road to success. In a bold move, Ibrahim joined the distance learning program at the government-run "Seiyun" University in 2022, and there it seemed that the dream was close. Day after day, Kaatar was getting closer to his achievement, and after years of balancing the demands of exhausting work and nightly studying, Ibrahim earned a bachelor's degree in Finance and Islamic Banking with honors. Widespread Interaction As soon as the Yemeni Press Agency published Kaatar's story, local media circulated it, and it sparked widespread interaction among social media activists. Activists circulated the story under several titles, such as "Yemeni Cleaner Achieves the Impossible" and "From Cleaner to Graduate with Honors," and some commented that it confirms the demands that education should be a right for all, and not limited to those who only have money. They called on the concerned authorities in Hadramout to honor the young man Kaatar, and provide a job in his banking specialization, because he deserves it as an inspiring story for all the youth of the governorate and Yemen in general. Changing the Culture of Society Ibrahim's story prompted some to call for turning it and other success models into a call to change the culture of society and its view of professions and manual labor. In this context, Dr. Anwar Baseef, head of the "Heart of the Nation for Sustainable Development" foundation in Yemen, said that this story represents a living model of an indomitable will, and embodies the true meaning of the phrase: "Ambition is not limited by professions nor governed by negative views." Baseef added that this success story proved that education is a right for all, and that success is not exclusive to those who were born in affluent circumstances, but is available to everyone who has the will and determination. He also called for hosting Ibrahim in the media, considering that this step "will contribute to establishing a culture of respect and appreciation for sanitation workers who represent a fundamental pillar in the structure of society, although they are often neglected."