Jordan Times
Monday, March 5, 2007
$177,239 USAID grant to
support Madaba entrpreneurs
By Dalya Dajani
AMMAN — When Khulood Abu Daqer opened her own mosaic craft shop in Madaba last
year, the challenges she faced were immense. Juggling her time between creating
mosaic pieces and raising her children, Abu Daqer toiled away for hours each day
piecing together her artistic designs.
But her hard work paid off and on Sunday she received a grant from USAID-funded
Jordan Tourism Development Project (Siyaha) to enhance her potential as part of
a drive to transform the city into a vibrant destination for tourists.
“My shop is something I work hard at and it is in an ideal location on Artisan
Street, but there is a lot more I can do to make it stand out, both inside and
out, so this grant is important to see me through,” 35-year-old Abu Daqer told
The Jordan Times.
The mother of three, who opened her shop in June last year, said she would like
to improve its ambience and make it more attractive to customers. She also wants
to construct walls that would be able to hold up her heavy creations and
establish a workshop area.
It was a twist of fate that led Abu Daqer to this business — when she turned to
her love of drawing after being unable to find a job as an administrative
secretary.
In 2004, after 10 years of being a housewife, she attended a mosaic training
workshop at the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD) to build
on her love for artistic creation. It was there that she got a chance to build
on her talent and realise her potential.
“Seeing my work on display at several exhibitions, made me realise that there
was a lot more I could do, so I decided to move ahead,” she said.
Abu Daqer said she was able to proceed with her idea when Siyaha came to JOHUD
and conducted a workshop on how to build and invest in one’s own business.
Abu Daqer was one of nine others entrepreneurs who got the chance to boost their
businesses from a $177,239 grant, awarded as part of the USAID/Siyaha’s Madaba
Enterprise Development Programme (MEDP).
The MEDP is part of the Madaba Tourism Strategy, which envisions transforming
the city into Jordan’s City of Mosaic Art and Holy Heritage.
The programme provides a combination of grants, access to finance, and
counselling to support businesses and entrepreneurs in the enhancement and
creation of sustainable tourism products and services.
It offers a comprehensive support package to eligible tourism-related
enterprises that want to capitalise on the strategy and the development of the
cluster.
The initiative has been well-received by the business community, CBOs, and
entrepreneurs since its launch in May 2006 and has helped create and expand
tourism-related enterprises dealing in accommodation, food, daytime and evening
tourist activities, visitor services and other tourist products.
Other enterprises that benefited from the grant include three hotels, one
restaurant, a Turkish bath, a café, an adventure centre, and three souvenir and
handicraft shops.
USAID Deputy Mission Director Dana Mansuri and Minister of Tourism and
Antiquities Osama Dabbas, who were at the ceremony yesterday, commended the
project as a step forward for the development of the area.
“The power of this partnership here in Madaba, with assistance from the American
people through USAID, is the strong signal it sends to the world that you have
faith in your community and in the future of your town,” said Mansuri.
The USAID official congratulated the entrepreneurs, noting their drive
demonstrated their business acumen and commitment by investing in their future
and in the future of Madaba.
Artisan Street witnesses some 150,000 tourists annually, who walk from the
visitors centre to the Church of St. George, housing the mosaic map of the Holy
Land.
Since the Madaba Tourism Development Strategy was since launched in May last
year, a total 13 shops have opened on the street.
The new businesses are encouraged by the prospects of Madaba becoming recognised
as the City of Mosaic and Holy Heritage, in addition to receiving support from
Siyaha, which has provided technical assistance, training, meetings, one-on-one
counselling sessions and grant support.
Siyaha and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities are also planning for future
investments in the infrastructure of the historical district to improve the
appeal and competitiveness of Madaba as a tourism destination.
The actual and planned investment by local entrepreneurs is estimated at more
than JD1.2 million to date, creating 55 full-time jobs, and there is still room
for additional ventures in the city, with several shops, heritage homes and
properties for rent.
Dabbas yesterday said the current work in Madaba was a positive example of
private and public sector partnership that has been called for and is required
for the development and enhancement of tourism competitiveness in the country.
The minister noted that the strategic plans can be a model for similar
development in other cities in the Kingdom, such as Jerash, Ajloun and Karak,
where work is under way with the support of the World Bank.
Dabbas and Mansuri also had the chance to visit the Madaba Visitor Centre and
Archaeological Park during a tour yesterday, and were briefed on plans to
upgrade interpretation and add services at the centre. They also visited five
investors on the tourist route who will upgrade their operations with support
from USAID’s grants.