Edat Shams was launched in Dubai in May 2009 to promote Yemeni handcrafts outside of Yemen. The Yemeni founder and owner Dhuha Awad, who was brought up in different parts of the world, has always appreciated ethnic arts and crafts of every place she has been to. She felt the need to share with the world the diversity and beauty of Yemeni arts and crafts.
With every visit to Yemen, she would realise that many of the traditional crafts were facing extinction with the increasingly alarming imports of machine-made products from other parts of the world and massive decline of demand for handmade products. Yemeni products could not compete with cheaper foreign machine-made products.

Yemen is one of the richest countries culturally and historically, however, it is at the same time one of the economically poorest in the world. Getting people to work and to produce is the key to fight poverty. Reviving a culture of crafts and arts almost forgotten is one way for them to earn their living.

Living in Dubai, a typical question asked by the expatriate community and tourists is "Where can I buy souvenirs that are made in the region?" Edat Shams has the answer!

The objectives of Edat Shams:

1. Preserve a beautiful culture of handmade crafts
2. Empower Yemenis to fairly earn a living through their arts and crafts
3. Present the heritage and culture of Yemen with a positive light
4. Produce 100% regionally made souvenirs

Edat Shams the Name:

Edat Shams means ‘Hands of the Sun" which is the name of a village in the Province of Shabwa in the South East of Yemen, the birthplace of Dhuha's maternal grandfather.

The dream of Edat Shams:

The dream of Edat Shams is to empower Yemenis to preserve a culture of creativity, to celebrate their true colours and enjoy the dignity of a better future.