Near East Foundation

Period: 2008-Present
Primary Donor(s): Jordanian Ministry of Planning and International Cooperations (MOPIC)

Building on long experience working in Jordan’s most impoverished areas, NEF partnered with the Jordanian Hashemite Fund (JOHUD) to stimulate economic development in 6 of the country’s poorest regions—areas designated as “poverty pockets” by the Jordanian government. The project provides capacity building training for local communities and community-based organizations (CBOs); identifies opportunities for income-generating activities and offers startup assistance for aspiring entrepreneurs, implementa plans for basic physical and social infrastructure services identified as necessary by local communities; and provides small scale lending opportunities to startup enterprises.

At the project’s outset, NEF worked with residents, private sector consultants, and GOJ authorities to assess potential Income Generating Activity (IGA) investments designed to combat poverty in target areas, taking into consideration local resources and skills. Projects funded included 3 indoor nurseries for vegetables in Gor al Safi, Shona, and Dir al Khaf, a brick factory, wedding equipment rental company, gas station/auto repair shop, and multipurpose commercial complex/children’s center. Start-up grants ranged in size from $100,000 to $400,000. NEF also provided hundreds of capacity building training days, 200 small loans, and basic infrastructure improvements for a number of schools, health centers, community-based organizations, and municipalities.