Jordan Times
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Local NGOs to present
proposals for development projects
By Dalya Dajani
AMMAN — The Ministry of Planning and
International Cooperation (MoPIC) is to receive proposals from local NGOs on
Sunday for development projects to improve conditions in 10 of the Kingdom's
poorest communities.
The ministry's call for proposals solicited project recommendations for a
two-year development plan covering half of the Kingdom's poverty pockets.
MoPIC Social Productivity Programme (SPP) Director Omar Rafie, who heads the
task force overseeing the plan, said he expects proposals from four local
nongovernmental organisations with vast experience in community development
initiatives.
“The projects slated under this first phase are designed to help improve living
conditions in these 10 areas by establishing income-generating projects that
will create a business environment from which these communities can benefit,”
Rafie said.
The government conducted a poverty assessment study early last year to examine
living conditions among the poor.
The survey identified 20 impoverished districts including Ruweished, Duleil,
Slehiyya, Deir Al Kahf, Al Jafr, Mreigha, Azraq and Ghweira.
The World Bank-funded survey showed that 70 per cent of residents in these
communities earned less than JD150 a month, and 25 per cent earned between JD150
and JD250.
Aside from ongoing infrastructure development projects in these areas, the
government instructed that additional support be channelled to these areas to
alleviate economic hardship.
A special task force comprising various ministry representatives visited the 20
areas earlier this year to get a better idea of the challenges facing these
communities.
The government allocated JD10 million from its 2005 budget to establish
income-generating initiatives for the 10 impoverished communities.
The ministry will undertake similar projects in the 10 other poverty pockets
under the second phase of its development plan.
According to the SPP director, the project proposals will be evaluated by a
technical committee and designated to each area according to its needs.