How One Yemeni Woman Uses Cigarette Butts to Empower Hundreds of Women

This article is published in collaboration with Egab, a platform empowering journalists from the Middle East and Africa to publish stories in international media outlets.

Lahj, Yemen — The marketplace of al-Waht in Lahj, Yemen, hums with life. Its air is thick with the earthy spice of the bazaar and the warmth of freshly baked bread. Just a short walk west, these aromas soften into the soothing, smoky scent of incense in Beit al-Faqih neighborhood.

It is here that Abir Mohamed, 32, is steeped in her work. She uses imported agarwood — or oud as it is called locally — as a key material to make the regionally renowned Lahji incense, known for its rich and distinct scent.

Bukhoor is what the locals refer to as incense here; it is a symbol of the country’s heritage and a centuries-long cornerstone of Yemeni homes. Women like Mohamed have for generations perfected the craft of incense-making, a skill passed down through family lines. Over the last decade, incense-making has evolved into a crucial economic lifeline for the women of al-Waht, with countless families relying on it for their livelihoods.

But the industry plummeted amid the country’s economic collapse due to the civil war that began in 2014, triggering a rise in exchange rates that made high-quality oud prohibitively expensive.

Incense trader Issam Sheiban said oud is primarily imported from Southeast Asia through Gulf markets, and following Yemen’s economic woes and crippling inflation, its cost has nearly tripled, making it less affordable for many incense makers.

“Traditional industries like incense-making have suffered a sharp decline,” said the economic expert Faris Al-Najjar. “Estimates suggest a 60 to 70 percent drop in production across the sector.”

The rising costs have driven hundreds of women in al-What to abandon the craft, according to Abir, who, despite the war and hardships, still continues to blend her fragrant creations. She observes that the rising prices have also taken a toll on her customers.

So, she began experimenting with alternatives in an attempt to rescue her business. At the brink of bankruptcy, her breakthrough came. In 2020, using cigarette butts and scrap wood, Abir crafted an affordable alternative that mimics the properties of agarwood and could be sold for just 5,000 Yemeni riyals ($2).

“The process is simple,” Abir told More to Her Story. “I collect wood shavings from carpentry shops, wash them thoroughly with water and rosewater, then spray them with saffron and perfume before storing them in a sealed space for two months to mature.”

Similarly, she recycles cigarette butts by washing away impurities and mixing it with essential oils.

“The result is an eco-friendly product that offers a viable substitute for traditional incense materials,” she added.

Abir’s initiative has resonated widely among Yemeni women, particularly those left unemployed by the ongoing conflict. Mohamed’s home has become a hub to train women in her newfound craft, attracting more than 500 trainees since beginning her workshops.

“I’m committed to helping women regain their financial independence,” Abir said. Many of these women, including university graduates unable to find jobs, have now turned to incense production as a reliable source of income.

For some women, such as 48-year-old Na’mah Wadi, incense making has been a financial lifeline, albeit not without setbacks. Wadi initially abandoned the craft due to the high costs of aromatic wood but returned to the trade after adopting Abeer's method.

Asrar Mohammed, another practitioner, has found significant success as Mohamed’s student. She provides for her displaced family of five by making incense using scrap wood, which she obtains for free due to its abundance. Mohammed now hopes to expand her business by selling raw wood chips to other incense makers.

According to Naama Al-Dawla, director of the Women’s Affairs Department in Lahj’s Tuban district, this new approach has brought a "qualitative leap" to the industry.

“Incense-making has for long provided a crucial lifeline for women in Yemen,” Al-Dawla told More to Her Story. “By adopting alternative methods, we’re not only preserving a vital cultural tradition but also giving women a way to support their families amid economic turmoil.”

Yet, Mohammed al-Qasha, Director of the National Tobacco Control Program, warns that using cigarettes is a severe health hazard, as they contain thousands of chemical components that contribute to numerous health crises, including cancers, respiratory diseases, and other serious conditions. 

Abir disputes these claims, insisting that she carefully removes harmful substances and thoroughly cleans the materials multiple times before use.

“Cigarette butts also pose significant risks, as washing them with water does not eliminate the harmful chemical compounds,” said al Qasha. “These substances react upon burning, releasing fumes that are inhaled by the user and those nearby.”

Despite finding a solution to address the steep cost of oud, other challenges remain. The rising cost of other essential ingredients to incense, such as sugar and perfumes, has become a significant hurdle for her business. Commercial fraud adds to the strain, as many stores now sell diluted, low-quality perfumes, leading to weaker scents, said Mohamed.

“Despite the interest in incense making, authorities have yet to assist me in establishing a space to train aspiring craftswomen,” she told More to Her Story, in describing her wish to have the Yemeni government provide more incentives and support for businesswomen like her.

Mohamed is going beyond simply repurposing materials like wood shavings and cigarette ash. In addition to her home-based workshops, she partners with vocational centers, including the Hayel Saeed Anam Charitable Foundation, where she has trained four graduating classes of around 25 women each in alternative incense-making techniques. She is also exploring other sustainable and natural options to help the incense craft thrive.

“The goal is not just to keep this tradition alive but to make it accessible for everyone, even in times of crisis,” she says.