The Governor of Hadhramout, Mr. Mabkhout Mubarak Bin Madi, today launched in Mukalla the program “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, aimed at developing leadership and entrepreneurship skills among youth. The program is funded by the Bank of Hadhramout, in partnership with Premium Academy for Technology and Management and Franklin Covey Education – Middle East. This flagship program—based on the renowned methodology of Dr. Stephen Covey—is among the world’s leading leadership development initiatives. It comes as part of the Bank of Hadhramout’s corporate social responsibility efforts to empower youth with practical skills that enhance their leadership and professional capabilities. In its first phase, the bank fully funded 150 free training scholarships for young people and entrepreneurs, amid a strong turnout that exceeded 1,500 applicants from various governorates across the Republic. Targeting youth, recent graduates, and job seekers, the program provides specialized, intensive training enabling participants to apply the “7 Habits” methodology in their professional and personal lives. Upon completion, participants receive an internationally recognized certificate from Franklin Covey, issued through its exclusive representative in Yemen, Premium Academy for Technology and Management. In his remarks, Governor Mabkhout Mubarak Bin Madi emphasized that this event is not merely a training program but a strategic investment in the governorate’s human capital. He reaffirmed the local authority’s commitment to providing all necessary support for educational and training initiatives that prepare young talent and connect them with global opportunities. “The numbers tell a success story even before the training begins,” he said. “Competition among more than 1,500 applicants for 150 scholarships is clear evidence of the passion of Hadhramout’s youth for growth and self-development.” The Governor expressed his gratitude to the Bank of Hadhramout for its generous sponsorship of the program, and to Premium Academy for Technology and Management and Franklin Covey for delivering high-quality, internationally benchmarked training within the governorate. For his part, Dr. Rabea Al-Awbathani, General Manager of Premium Academy for Technology and Management, spoke about the Academy’s founding story as the training arm of Hadhramout International Community College, which is scheduled to begin operations in the coming academic year as a pioneering applied vocational education project supported and funded by the private sector and investors in Hadhramout. Dr. Al-Awbathani expressed his appreciation to the Governor of Hadhramout for his support in launching this initiative, emphasizing that the coming stage requires qualified cadres aligned with labor-market needs, and noting that opportunities are available to youth willing to develop their skills. He explained that Hadhramout International Community College and Premium Academy for Technology and Management are managed and overseen by Business World Company Ltd. for Investment and Studies, which also manages the Modern International Institute, one of the largest training institutes in Yemen. He added that the company has broad interests in digital transformation, energy, the commercial sector, and banking and financial services, and that it supervises the Bina Yemen Incubator project implemented by Bina Business Incubator for Entrepreneurship – Yemen and funded by the Islamic Development Bank. Meanwhile, Mr. Abdulnasser Al-Hajj, Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Hadhramout, affirmed that the bank’s support for the program stems from its conviction in investing in people and building national capacities, describing the collaboration with Premium Academy for Technology and Management and Franklin Covey as a distinguished model of purposeful community partnership. Mr. Ammar Rajab, Chief Executive Officer of Franklin Covey Education – Middle East, expressed his delight at launching the program in Hadhramout, noting that this cooperation reflects the institution’s commitment to spreading a culture of effectiveness and sustainable leadership across different segments of society. At the conclusion of the event, attendees underscored that this high-impact partnership between the public and private sectors represents a strategic step toward building a leadership generation equipped with the tools of effectiveness and excellence, contributing to sustainable development in Hadhramout and Yemen at large, in line with the governorate’s vision for youth empowerment and future-focused opportunity.
