New orphan relief plan created in Jordan

AMMAN — A new charity initiative will provide students from Al Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans with the opportunity to access undergraduate scholarships and specialised vocational training.

The Amer Al Khayyat initiative will cover educational and living expenses for 11 undergraduate students over a four-year period, as well as a total of 32 students enrolling in a one-year vocational training programme over four years, with eight students studying each year, Ibrahim Al Ahmad, general manager of the fund, said on Wednesday. 

Orphans benefiting from the grant reside in Amman, Irbid, Maan, Zarqa and Mafraq governorates, he added, noting that graduates of vocational training programmes usually find jobs “immediately” after graduation.

Meanwhile, he underlined the importance of supporting young orphans at this stage, as they graduate from care homes to face an “unknown future”.

For his part, Amer Al Khayyat, managing director of Al Khayyat Motors, said the region’s difficult conditions create a need to encourage “enlightened minds” and “hopeful souls” among young people.

He added: “Through this step, I seek to develop the potential of our youth so they may positively contribute to the Kingdom’s economic and social development in the future”. 

“This is a humble initiative, but there is always hope for sustainability and future expansion of the initiative,” he noted.

Founded in 2006 by Her Majesty Queen Rania, Al Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans is an independent, non-profit organisation that aims to support orphaned youth above 18 so they can create a future for themselves.

So far, some 3,200 orphans from across the Kingdom have benefited from Al Aman Fund, with over 2,000 of them working post-graduation, the organsisers said.