UN Women and Jordan River Foundation supporting community based organizations from the communities Al Salheiyah and Deir Al Kahf under the EU-funded project ‘Spring Forward’

Al Salheiyah (Mafraq), 3 June 2015. Within the framework of the EU-funded project “Spring Forward”, UN Women and Jordan River Foundation – in collaboration with the Governor of Mafraq – scaled up their support to marginalized women living in Al Salheiyah and Deir Al Kahf. This second phase of the programme will see the active engagement of new community based organizations, which will provide training opportunities and technical assistance to targeted women in accessing and managing revolving loans.

"The Governorate of Al Mafraq is really satisfied from the results of this project. It is one of the most successful projects in the Governorate. It reached the most marginalized women, and they started to get income to their families, that led to the improvement in their economic status" affirmed the Deputy Governor.

The Al Mafraq Governorate is situated in North-Eeast Jordan and it hosts a large number of poverty pockets; women are particularly effected by the high rates of poverty and unemployment, which have been increasingly affected by the prolonged presence of Syrian refugees in the community.

“Women of Mafraq have become pillars of change and will be a model for all women all over the Kingdom. We are very proud of you" affirmed Mr. Giuseppe Belsito, UN Women Jordan Representative.

On this occasion, the Jordan River Foundation team presented the result achieved so far in the two targeted communities, which include more than 160 women beneficiaries who were empowered to successfully run their small income generating projects – such as food processing, trading, livestock production, planting, beauty salons.

The signing ceremony was attended by around 50 participants, including a representative from the European Union Delegation in Amman, local authorities, beneficiaries and representative of community based organizations active in the Governorate of Mafraq.