Jordan Times
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Capacity-building pilot
programme introduced
By Dalya Dajani
AMMAN — The government is looking to strengthen the capacity of some 30
community-based organisations (CBOs) to render them more efficient and capable
partners in implementing national development projects in the country.
The JD1.5 million pilot programme carried out by the Ministry of Planning and
International Cooperation, will be banking on the expertise of a national
organisation with substantial experience in the local development arena.
“The Strengthened Jordanian NGOs Programme” is an essential drive for enhancing
existing resources towards contributing to sustainable economic growth, head of
the ministry's Social Productivity Programme Omar Rafie told The Jordan Times.
“We are pushing our local organisations towards having the capacity to meet the
challenges of communities across the country, particularly those related to
poverty alleviation and unemployment reduction,” Rafie said.
“The government has acknowledged the important role that local organisations can
play in tackling these challenges. The training is designed to ensure they will
be capable of meeting them in a more effective and sustainable manner,” he
added.
Under the project, the grantee organisation will provide training to some 30
CBOs (such as clubs, voluntary societies and cooperatives) in areas including
grant management, legal analysis and capacity building in sustainable rural and
human development.
Rafie said 20 out of the 30 CBOs slated for training would also receive a grant
for an average of JD50,000 to implement income-generating activities in their
constituencies.
The Planning Ministry has already floated tenders for the 18-month-long
programme, being implemented by its Enhanced Productivity Programme.
Around 20 local organisations have already expressed interest in applying.
The Kingdom has continued to invest in development projects and
income-generating enterprises as a main engine of boosting social and economic
living conditions among Jordanians.
Moreover, national projects such as the Socio-Economic Tranformation Plan,
including a plethora of NGO projects at the grassroots and municipal levels,
have been contributing to that track.
Rafie said a well-founded CBO can be a powerful tool in improving the social and
economic status of communities through the creation of sustainable projects.
By expert standards, an efficient CBO entails having a range of skills. These
include being formally organised, being accountable for their behaviour and
systems of governance, demonstrating public responsibility, effective and
efficient in realising the goals it sets for itself and functioning with a
sensitive awareness of the way society, economy and politics works around it.
Global best practices show that while resources and the direction of the
government are crucial for development, implementation of projects is best
handled by NGOs.
The Kingdom currently has over 2,000 local institutions, representing charities,
civil societies, cooperatives and voluntary organisations carrying out various
functions. Many, however, are said to lack certain skills such as administrative
and technical know-how, or even a clear vision or mission for their
establishment.
The ministry sees these areas as “opportunities for growth and progress.”
According to Rafie, the ministry has scheduled a bidder's conference on April 24
to brief interested parties about the pilot initiative and respond to inquiries.