Public MA Viva-Voce Examination of Mr. Hamza Yahya Ali Al-Imad, from the Department of Social Work, Faculty of Arts & Humanities

Mr. Hamza Yahya Ali Al-Imad has successfully awarded his MA degree in Social Work, achieving a commendable grade of 90%, majoring in “Community Organization” from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Sana’a University, following the defense of his thesis entitled “The Role of Civil Society Organizations in Local Development” on Wednesday, 10 Jumada II 1446Hijri, corresponding to December 11, 2024.

The Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Post-Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:
1. ProfessorAbdulsalam Ahmed Al-Dar, External Examiner, Taiz University, Chair.
2. Prof. Sukina Ahmed Hashem, Main Supervisor, Sana’a University, Member
3. Dr. Fahd Mohammad Ahmed Al-Ahmadi, Internal Examiner, Sana’a University, Member.

The primary objective of the study was to assess the contributions of civil society organizations to local development within the Capital Secretariat, focusing on various sectors including education, health, environmental services, community infrastructure such as rural roads, water provision, and the promotion of community engagement. Notably, the research emphasized the initiatives undertaken by the Bonyan Development Foundation.

Findings from the study indicated that the Foundation’s impact on enhancing educational services remains moderate. Furthermore, while awareness programs addressing diseases related to environmental pollution were deemed influential, they also received an average evaluation. Conversely, services related to community road infrastructure were recognized as exemplary, warranting efforts to bolster their positive attributes. The study advocates for improvements in areas with lower performance ratings to adequately address community needs.

Additionally, the research highlighted that initiatives aimed at encouraging community engagement in well-water management achieved the highest effectiveness ratings, suggesting that the Foundation excelled in this domain. Furthermore, awareness programs designed to stimulate community participation garnered significant success, underscoring the Foundation’s efficacy in implementing initiatives that foster community involvement.

The researcher proposed several recommendations within his thesis, including the expansion of initiatives focused on environmental preservation, the enhancement of community participation efforts, and the improvement of awareness programs related to education, health, infrastructure, and water services.

Moreover, the researcher suggested that future studies should employ diverse methodologies to further analyze relevant data, as there may be additional factors influencing outcomes that were not captured in this analysis.

The Viva-Voce was attended by several academics, researchers, students, and several colleagues and family members of the researcher.