In Yemen, a land rich with history yet marked by struggle, the voices of women have too often been silenced or sidelined. Growing up in this environment, one young woman witnessed not only the challenges faced collectively by Yemeni women, but also the personal barriers she encountered on her own leadership journey. Rather than allowing these gaps to define her, she chose to transform them into the foundation of her life’s work.
That woman is Dr. Leena Al-Mujahed, Founder of Yemeni Refugee Women Organization (YRWO). Her mission has been clear from the beginning: to create platforms where women are empowered, voices are amplified, and opportunities transcend borders. For her, innovation requires freedom, the freedom to test ideas, take risks, and imagine new possibilities for those who have long been denied them.
Through YRWO and her leadership roles, she continues to expand the reach of cultural diplomacy, connecting designers and entrepreneurs across Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. Yet her vision is not only global, it is deeply personal. She remains grounded in the belief that transparency, education, and resilience are the cornerstones of lasting change. Recognition may not always come easily, but as she often reminds those, she mentors, a vision greater than the obstacles will always find its way forward.
Transforming Resilience into Empowerment
Dr. Leena was born in Yemen, a nation of both rich history and profound struggle. Her academic journey began in medical laboratory sciences and later expanded with a Master’s in Business Administration. Education gave her confidence and opportunity, but it also revealed how rare such access was for many women around her.
When she looked at the lives of Yemeni women, she saw resilience overshadowed by limited opportunities. These women carried skills, determination, and ambition, yet lacked the platforms to transform them into independence. That reality became the spark for the Yemeni Refugee Women Organization (YRWO).
For Dr. Leena, YRWO was never just an organization—it was a promise: to give women dignity, a path to economic stability, and most importantly, a voice. What inspired her most was not only the hardships she witnessed, but the strength of women who persevered despite them. Her vision has always been to transform that strength into lasting empowerment.
From Gaps to Gateways
From the very beginning of her leadership journey, Dr. Leena recognized two distinct kinds of gaps: those faced collectively by Yemeni women, and those she experienced personally.
For Yemeni women, the gaps were systemic. They were excluded from opportunities, unrecognized for their contributions, and left without structures to nurture their growth. Their creativity, skills, and resilience remained invisible because society and institutions offered no pathways for them to flourish. Dr. Leena sought to close that gap by creating initiatives designed to provide visibility, recognition, and empowerment.
On a personal level, she too encountered systemic barriers. There was little community support, no government backing, and often no recognition for women daring to step into leadership roles. Her journey had to be carved from almost nothing. These challenges, however, strengthened her resolve. They taught her to build credibility through persistence and to lead with empathy rather than authority.
For Dr. Leena, addressing both the external and internal gaps became her mission: to transform exclusion into empowerment, silence into voice, and invisibility into influence.
Vision for the Future
Dr. Leena’s vision for the next decade is to create impact that is both transformational and lasting. She is determined for Yemeni women to be seen not as dependents or victims of circumstance, but as leaders, innovators, and equal contributors to society. Her goal is to establish sustainable centres of empowerment where women can access training, livelihoods, and mentorship pathways that will enable them to achieve independence and dignity.
At the heart of her dream lies education. Dr. Leena began by supporting girls’ education in her own village, rooted in her belief that when one girl completes her studies, an entire family and community rise with her. Looking ahead, she envisions increasing numbers of girls accessing education, not only in her hometown but across broader regions. She hopes to contribute to their journey so that they grow into confident leaders capable of shaping the future of Yemen and beyond.
Her vision extends beyond women and education to the global stage. She aspires to build bridges across cultures, using fashion, culture, and education as tools of diplomacy to foster dialogue and unity between societies. In ten years, she hopes the world will look back and see stronger, more inclusive communities where women stand not on the margins but at the very centre of progress.
Where Strategy Meets Execution
For Dr. Leena, leadership requires both the telescope and the microscope. With the telescope, she defines long-term goals, forges strategic partnerships, and ensures sustainability. With the microscope, she remains grounded in day-to-day operations, making sure vision translates into action.
She balances both by building strong governance structures and empowering capable people around her. Roles are clearly defined, responsibilities are delegated, and systems are designed to ensure accountability. At the same time, she stays present listening to her teams, learning from their challenges, and staying connected to realities on the ground.
This dual approach allows Dr. Leena to act as both visionary and builder: setting the course with clarity while ensuring the daily engine runs smoothly. For her, leadership is not about choosing between strategy and operations, but about ensuring both works together in equal strength to serve the mission.
Leadership Philosophy
Dr. Leena grounds her leadership philosophy in empowerment, integrity, and inclusivity. For her, leadership is not about commanding from the top, but about lifting others so they can stand beside her. She measures true leadership not by how many people follow, but by how many she empowers.
She instils this philosophy through three guiding practices: transparency, example, and trust. Transparency ensures open decision-making, clear goals, and defined roles in the larger vision. Leading by example means embodying the values she expects from her team resilience, accountability, and respect. Trust gives people the freedom to contribute, knowing their voices and efforts are valued. By leading in this way, she has seen her teams grow stronger, more confident, and united in purpose. For Dr. Leena, the legacy of leadership is not only in what she achieves, but in the leaders, she helps create along the way.
Balancing Innovation and Accountability
Dr. Leena also believes that innovation and accountability must coexist. Innovation requires freedom the freedom to test ideas, take risks, and explore new possibilities. Accountability requires structure defined roles, measurable outcomes, and shared responsibility.
In her teams, she fosters innovation by creating a safe space where every idea is welcome, whether it comes from a young woman learning a new skill or a seasoned professional designing a project. She ensures that all voices are heard, recognizing that innovation often arises from perspectives that are easily overlooked. At the same time, she reinforces accountability: goals are set, timelines respected, and results evaluated. For her, accountability is not about control but about pride in one’s work and recognition of its impact.
By balancing freedom with structure, Dr. Leena has built teams that are not only creative and disciplined but also deeply committed to the mission.
Turning Uncertainty into Strength
For Dr. Leena, uncertainty has been a constant companion throughout her journey. Growing up in Yemen taught her that unpredictability can either paralyze or strengthen and she chose to let it strengthen her.
When facing external uncertainties, whether in markets or competition, she approaches them with foresight, flexibility, and collaboration. Foresight allows her to anticipate challenges, flexibility enables her to adapt strategies as circumstances shift, and collaboration reminds her that partnership often creates more opportunities than rivalry.
Above all, Dr. Leena remains anchored in purpose. While circumstances may change, her mission does not. The empowerment of women, the advancement of education, and the creation of inclusive communities remain her constant goals. This clarity of vision allows her to turn uncertainty into opportunity, and competition into motivation.
Looking Ahead
For Dr. Leena, the future holds some of the most meaningful initiatives of her journey. Among them is the establishment of a Sewing and Tailoring Vocational Training Center for Yemeni women a project designed not only to provide skills, but also to create pathways to dignity, independence, and sustainable livelihoods.
Education will remain a cornerstone of her vision. What began in her village, where she supported girls in accessing schooling, now fuels her dream of expanding opportunities so that more young women can complete their education, pursue higher studies, and grow into the leaders of tomorrow.
Through Maison de Lina, she is launching the “I Am Lina: Born to Rise” initiative. More than a fashion project, it is a movement that tells the story of resilience transforming pain into purpose and reminding women everywhere that they can rise above any circumstance.
Her work also extends to the global stage. The International Fashion Chamber Malaysia will continue to expand under her leadership as a platform for cultural diplomacy, connecting designers and entrepreneurs across Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. At the same time, Dr. Leena will continue to represent women on global platforms such as the United Nations, ensuring that Yemeni women and other marginalized communities are heard in the spaces where critical decisions are made.
For her, these initiatives are not simply about growth; they are about creating ripples of empowerment ripples that extend far beyond her own journey and inspire future generations to rise.
A Legacy Born to Rise
Dr. Leena hopes her legacy will stand as proof that pain can be transformed into purpose. She wants to be remembered not for recognition, but for carrying the voices of Yemeni women onto global stages such as the United Nations ensuring their resilience was seen and their dignity respected.
Through the Yemeni Refugee Women Organization (YRWO), she aspires to be remembered as someone who created opportunities where none existed, building spaces where women could be acknowledged as leaders. Through Maison de Lina and the “I Am Lina: Born to Rise” initiative, she envisions her journey as a symbol that no matter how difficult the beginning, every woman has the power to rise and redefine her future.
Ultimately, her legacy is about transformation turning silence into voice, invisibility into recognition, and hardship into leadership. If her life is remembered as one that gave strength to others and left behind empowered communities, then she will have fulfilled her mission.To her younger self, she would offer this message: Do not fear the challenges you face, for they are shaping you into the leader you are destined to be. You may not always find support, and recognition may not come easily, but your vision is bigger than the obstacles before you. Hold on to education and values, for they will become the foundation of your strength. Trust the journey, even when it feels uncertain, because every step even the painful ones have a purpose. Above all, remember: you were born to rise. And one day, your story will not be yours alone it will be the story that gives countless women the courage to rise with you.
