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AMMAN — Iman Kaabi took a small loan from the Microfund for Women (MFW) in 2007 with the aim of starting a small business and ended up becoming a municipality member for Deir Alla 10 years later.

“I stayed at home for over 12 years not knowing what to do. Then, I heard of the MFW, took an education loan and eventually started my own business with another loan from the same organisation,” Kaabi said.

The testimony came during an event organised at the MFW headquarters to celebrate granting 1 million loans to approximately 140,000 people, at a value of over JD450 million over the past 21 years.

“Our family is small but through my business, I got to know more people. I ended up winning a seat on the municipality council after garnering 1,182 votes,” she told a cheering crowd.

Ruba Khreim, another MFW beneficiary, also spoke about her experience: “I always had a dream to start a business that talks about our heritage in a different manner.”

 “I got the loan and was able to fulfill my dream and create products that reflect our heritage. But, most importantly, the income I made went to educate my four children,” Khreim told the gathering.

MFW is a private non-profit organistion that began its operations in 1996 by providing financial services to low-income, small business owners in Jordan with the aim of empowering women economically and socially, so they become active members of society. 

Currently, 96 per cent of MFW’s beneficiaries are women. The organisation employs 700 people working in over 60 branches across the Kingdom. 

“We are proud to have reached 1 million loans by giving tens of thousands of women who could not get a loan from a bank because they have no collateral, a chance to increase their income and improve their standard of living,” said MFW Managing Director Muna Sukhtian.

Sukhtian said the loans also helped women “build their confidence in playing a productive, effective and active role in the household and society”.

“This has been our goal since we opened our doors over 20 years ago as the first microfinance company in Jordan. The will of the Jordanian woman and her determination to improve herself is our inspiration and the main reason that we are here. All of this is reflected in the success stories we presented today,” Sukhtian noted. 

Sukhtian added that the organisation is considered the “largest institution of its kind in terms of market share”, noting that it “will continue its mission to provide financial and non-financial services, in accordance with international methods of financial management to help women on an economical and social level so they can reach a state of financial inclusion”.

Sukhtian stated that the loans, which range from JD250 to JD10,000, have affected 374,000 individuals and families.

Other services provided by MFW include the “Himaya Protection Programme”, a life insurance product designed to assist low-income households to cope with uncertainties. 

 “Afiyatuna” , a “first-of-its-kind” project in the region, also aims to lower hospital expenses as a result of health emergencies.

The MFW has won dozens of awards in recognition for their work including the Women’s World Bank Excellence in Leadership Award in 2014 and the Mohammad Bin Rashid Award for Young Business Leaders Award as the Best Fund to Serve Women in the Arab World. 

AMMAN — Drivers of yellow taxis on Tuesday held protests across Amman, demanding an increase in fares and to reserve the use of ride-hailing apps only for licensed yellow cabs.

“Tens of drivers took part in today’s protest that was held in several places in Amman… They want an increase in fares in light of the rising costs of fuel and maintenance,” Mohammad Al Zeir, president of the Independent Taxi Drivers Association, told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

Yellow taxis face a “very aggressive” competition from ride-hailing apps including Careem and Uber, he added.

“We demanded an increase in the charge for 1 hour waiting as it currently stands at JD1.25, which is very low and the traffic in Amman is atrocious,” Zeir added.

“Drivers using these apps are still transporting passengers [despite their illegal status].Winter will start soon and, usually, business is slow in winter, which means more competition…There needs to be a solution for this problem,” he added.

In August, the Transport Regulatory Commission issued an initial approval for the licensing request of the ride-hailing app “Careem”.

The approval grants the service company a six-month grace period to rectify its status, including complying with local regulations, registering the company, creating a bank account and establishing an office with a specific address

According to the 2010 Public Transport Law, it is mandatory to obtain a special licence to operate a public transport vehicle.

In Jordan, it is not allowed for private cars to provide transportation services, including Uber and Careem. Many drivers have been detained and their cars impounded as authorities cracked down on the service.

“Drivers using these apps are doing this job as a part time job whenever they are available and they use their private cars, which is unfair to us as we have special licences and pay fees and, for many of us, it is our only job,” Mohammad Haj Abed, a taxi driver, told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

“Many taxi drivers do not own the taxis and they have to pay a daily charge of about JD25 to JD30 to rent them from the owners… This is unfair and these apps should only be limited to licensed yellow taxis,” he added.

On the other hand, Hamzeh Mousa, who works as a sales officer at a private company in Shmeisani, said: “I do not think yellow taxi drivers deserve any increase. Their service is bad and they refuse to transport passengers to certain destinations. They are picky.”

“When using Careem, I pay more but, at least, I get a decent service,” Mousa said over the phone on Tuesday.

There are around 12,000 yellow cabs in Amman that serve more than 3.5 million residents.

AMMAN — Following a rise in Hepatitis A cases among school students in Mafraq’s Akeider area, the president of the Lower House’s Health Committee, Ibrahim Bani Hani, has called for more governmental attention to the area, which “has suffered negligence for so long”. 

The Ministry of Health has recorded 32 cases of Hepatitis A in students from the Akeider area, in Mafraq Governorate, since August 22.

Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by a virus transmitted through contaminated food or water, inadequate sanitation and poor personal hygiene, the Health Ministry’s spokesperson, Hatem Azrui, told The Jordan Times. 

Bani Hani visited Akeider two months ago,  along with other officials and the Lower House’s Environmental Committee, to examine the impacts of the landfill in Akeider on the environment and the health of its citizens. 

“There is no doubt that Hepatitis A has spread in the area due to a lack of hygiene in health and public facilities,” he stated.

Mafraq health director at the Ministry of Health, Hani Oleimat, said that the disease is not epidemical and that the potential rate of infection in adults amounts to over 90 per cent. 

Incubation of the disease ranges between two weeks and one month, during which the patient suffers from fever, diarrhoea, nausea and changes in skin and eye colour, according to the World Health Organisation.

Azrui said that the ministry has conducted experiments on the water sources at schools and homes and noted that no signs of the virus were found.

He said that the disease is spread through sharing personal items like towels at public health facilities.

For his part, Bani Hani stressed that the area is lacking a health centre, which the ministry had promised to build, but noted that “no real measures were taken”.

He also said that the area suffers from other issues such as the emission of phenol gas from Akeider landfill and the increased number of stray dogs, a potential source of rabies.

Oleimat noted that since the discovery of the cases, no schools have stopped working in the area and noted that the ministry urged the school staff to direct any suspected case to the health directorate, in order to provide the infected students with a 7- to 10-day sick leave. 

The sickness needs no medication other than rest, Oleimat highlighted, noting that the body of the infected person naturally generates immunity against the virus.

AMMAN — An Egyptian military delegation headed by Brig. Gen. Ahmad Mustafa on Tuesday visited the Martyr  Memorial in Amman, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The delegation was briefed on the history, significance and the facilities at the memorial site.

The delegation went through the monument’s artefacts as well as the weapons that showcased the chronological development of the armed forces. The group commended the significance of ​​the memorial, which is a special edifice commemorating the fallen, who sacrificed their lives in defence of their homeland.

AMMAN — Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat and Deputy Chief of Staff of Military Partnerships Directorate at NATO Maj. Gen. Odd Egil Pedersen on Tuesday discussed issues of mutual concern under prevailing regional conditions.

Head of the operations and training and head of the joint war operations at the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and Pedersen’s accompanying delegation attended the meeting that was held at Freihat’s offices at JAF headquarters, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN — The Jordanian-Lebanese Joint Agricultural Committee on Tuesday held a meeting chaired by Agriculture Minister Khaled Hneifat and his Lebanese counterpart, Ghazi Zeaiter, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The two sides discussed agricultural trade, pesticide residues in vegetables and fruit shipments as well as cooperation in the field of animal health regulation in light of the reopening of the Turaibil border crossing.

The two sides agreed to lift the ban on imports of Lebanese potatoes under conditions to be presented to the technical committee and approved by Hneifat before October 5. They discussed the low level of bilateral agricultural trade due to regional conditions. Jordanian officials welcomed the Lebanese request to use the newly reopened border with Iraq provided that import licences were obtained. 

AMMAN — An exhibition titled “Oriental Christians: 2,000 Years of History” was inaugurated on Monday by French President Emmanuel Macron and Lebanese President Michel Aoun, at the Arab World Institute (AWI) in Paris, in the presence of Jordanian tourism minister, Lina Annab.

The exhibition, which encompasses the countries of Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq, among others, sheds light on the history of a diverse community [the Arab Christians] and the major role it has played in the political, cultural, social and religious arenas in the region, the organisers said in a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times.

Held in collaboration with the tourism ministries and departments in the region, the exhibition showcases rare artefacts of Christian heritage, some of which have never been presented in Europe before.

“We are proud to participate in this exhibition with three magnificent mosaics pieces and two other artefacts related to the sixth century AD,” director general of the Department of Antiquities, Monther Jamhawi, told The Jordan Times, adding that “it highlights the harmony and the interfaith dialogue between Arabs whatever their
religion is”.

He added: “Jordan has proved to be the land of peace and social and religious co-existence, as it is reflected nowadays in the policy supported by His Majesty King Abdullah.”

Deeply linked to the events told in the New Testament, the lands of Jordan are crucial in understanding the early days of Christianity.

The exhibition was established as a historical itinerary throughout time, centred around the pivotal theme of Christians’ identity in the Middle East.

Retracing the 2000-year evolution of Arab Christians, the exhibition showcases the adoption of Christianity as a state religion in the fourth century, explores Christian contribution to the nahda (Arab renaissance) in the 19th century, as well as the cultural and political renewal in the 20th and 21st centuries, while focusing on the contemporary vitality of the Christian communities in the Arab world, amidst a turbulent context, the organisers said. 

During a visit to Jordan, Gilles Gauthier, former ambassador in the region and Personal advisor to the AWI President, Jack Lang, said: “Christians are an integral part of the regional identity and they should not be ostracised as a distinct group within the community.”

Organised as a follow up to last year’s “Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca” showcase, which was publically well receivedwas met with great public success, the exhibition sought to broaden the AWI’s lens to shed light on the Christian community of the Arab world, exploring the daily reality of its heritage in the region

 “After this beautiful highlight on Islam, we felt like it was time to bespeak of the religious diversity in the Arab world,” Elodie Bouffard, one of the curators of the exhibition, was quoted in a statement as saying.

French ambassador to Jordan, David Bertolotti, told The Jordan Times recently: “Too often, the Holy Land is restricted to Jerusalem and its surroundings, forgetting the beautiful Kingdom of Jordan.”

“In Jordan, not only do we have the ‘rocks’, the sites of Mount Nebo and of the Christ baptism in the Jordan Valley, but we also have an active community of men and women that make Christianity live on a daily basis,” he stated.

Citing the exhibition as “a great opportunity to let the world know about this beautiful country”, the ambassador voiced his hope that it would “restore the world visibility that Jordan deserves”.

AMMAN — Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan Hamad Al Daij welcomed the president of the Hashemite University Kamal Alddin Bani Hani in the embassy in Amman, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Tuesday.

The ambassador donated $33,100 to the Hashemite University, in order to help students in need. Bani Hani expressed his appreciation towards Kuwait as well as for reaching out to those in need.  The president of the university thanked Ambassador Hamad Al Daij for being a “beloved figure to Jordanians, and on his eagerness to help developing Arab countries academically”.

AMMAN — A delegation from the UN’s Capacity for Disaster Reduction Initiative and a team from the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management on Tuesday visited Irbid where they met with the directors of departments related to disaster management.

The visitors were briefed by Irbid’s Governor Radwan Otoum and the directors on the challenges their employees face when dealing with natural and humanitarian crises, especially in terms of transportation and logistics, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The joint delegation also met with Irbid Mayor Hussein Bani Hani, and reviewed the tools available to deal with crises and the most urgent needs.

AMMAN — Interior Minister Ghaleb Zu’bi, in the presence of Civil Defence Department (CDD) Director Maj. Gen. Mustafa Bazaiah, on Tuesday attended the inauguration ceremony of Eastern Irbid CDD. The new department was opened in light of the northern governorate’s increased needs due to its recent economic growth and rise in population density, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The CDD director said that the department seeks to modernise its services by opening new directorates and providing them with qualified personnel, in line with its strategic development plans and its mission to preserve lives and safeguard national assets. Several officials and MPs in Irbid, some 80km north of Amman, attended the inauguration ceremony.