NGO consortium helps locals set up their own businesses

AMMAN — “Standing next to this picture of me in front of my shop, I return back to life,” said Khaldoun Ali, a shop owner who recently opened his own business in Ruseifeh with the aid of a grant by the LEADERS intiative.

The LEADERS consortium, which is comprised of Oxfam, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), ACTED, Save the Children and CARE, has been spearheading projects in the governorates of Mafraq, Irbid and Zarqa with the aim of supporting the economic resilience of host communities and Syrian refugees.

Around 11 men and women were given the opportunity to start their own business with the support of the consortium, which works in partnership with the EU Regional Trust Fund (“MADAD Fund”) who also financed the projects. 

“This project helped me improve myself as a human and to make enough money to get ‘back to life’,” Ali, who had been unemployed since his trading business collapsed eight years ago, told The Jordan Times.

The entrepreneur, who received JD1,000 as well as vocational training from CARE, made his remark at the inauguration of the “Open For Business” photo exhibition, which sought to highlight the success stories of the LEADERS beneficiaries.

Held on Monday at Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development, the event was organised by Oxfam and JOHUD, in partnership with the EU MADAD fund, which addresses socio-economic, educational, health and psycho-social needs of Syrian refugees and host communities in the region. To date, they Fund has committed some 140 million euros in assistance to Jordan, according to the MADAD website. 

“I am so pleased to see how the partnerships we have created have influenced the lives of so many people, and increased their economic resilience,” said Qais Tarawneh, JOHUD deputy director.

The consortium assisted the local entrepreneurs in setting up their own businesses, supporting them throughout the process of registering, financing and sustaining their projects. 

“LEADERS is a young consortium by many aspects: young because of its age, but also because of the values it conveys: enthusiasm, passion and drive for a better tomorrow,” said Rania Ahmad, deputy regional director at DRC Jordan.

Deema Sabah, a 22-year-old mathematics graduate, was having difficulty finding work after completing her studies. After taking a Save the Children training on employability and skills a few months ago, she secured a steady position as a math teacher in a private school. 

“The skills I gained will help me keep my job and communicate effectively with my colleagues, students and others around me,” she said.

The exhibition, which displayed pictures of the beneficiaries along with short summaries of their success stories, aimed to give voice to the members of the local communities, who have been striving to secure meaningful employment opportunities. 

“As a woman in Jordan, I am aware of the many challenges faced on a daily basis, whether in child care, transportation safety, among many others. But these people have shown us that everything can be achieved with a little bit of support,” said Nivedita Monga, Oxfam country director, adding “you gave us hope and inspired us and reminded us why we are working here.”

She praised Jordan’s generosity towards the Syrian refugees and stressed the importance to keep supporting the local people. “All the word goes to their credit. We were only a helping hand, and this exhibition was a chance for them to tell their stories in their own words,” she said at the event.

Following the event launch, the exhibition is scheduled to rotate through  various venues across the Kingdom, running from November 8 through 16.

The mobile exhibition will include a two-day showcase at the Princess Basma Development Centre in Irbid on November 8 and 9, in Sahab on November 12 and 13 and in Aqaba on November 15-16.