Jordan Times
Sunday, June 19, 2005
WAEDAT programme to be launched Monday
The programme will geographically expand to reach women in Aqaba, Ajloun and Balqa, and is set to increase the number of beneficiaries to 270 by mid 2006
By Ahmad Barakat
AMMAN — USAID-funded Women's Access to Entrepreneurship Development and Training (WAEDAT) programme, which has helped 122 women so far expand their small businesses, will be launched on Monday under Royal patronage.
Established in 2004 as part of the USAID AMIR programme, WAEDAT is designed to provide business-related training and capacity building to Jordanian female entrepreneurs to ensure their sustained economic growth.
WAEDAT, or “promising women” in Arabic, targets women entrepreneurs in healthcare, food processing, cosmetics, business-to-business and handicrafts sectors in Amman, Irbid, Zarqa and Madaba.
The project seeks to educate women on how to manage and upgrade their own enterprises through advisory and counselling services, networking activities, mentoring programmes and training.
According to WAEDAT's Director Wijdan Abu Leil, the programme will geographically expand to reach women in Aqaba, Ajloun and Balqa, and is set to increase the number of beneficiaries to 270 by mid 2006.
On Thursday, Planning and International Cooperation Minister Suheir Al-Ali, US Charge d'Affairs David Hale, and acting USAID Director David Brath visited the Oxygen Pharmacy in Amman and met with its proprietor Maram Al Hajj, a WAEDAT beneficiary and a pharmacist for over 10 years.
Al Hajj, who gives credit to WAEDAT for her expanding client base and increasing profit, has completed the WAEDAT 40 hour-training in business management skills and said the programme has helped her create linkages with other beneficiaries.
After expanding her pharmacy and employing other five pharmacists, Al Hajj is currently planning to expand it further with the goal of establishing a network of pharmacies throughout the Kingdom.
The minister, who was briefed by Al Hajj on how WAEDAT has been able to assist her in upgrading her work, highlighted the significant role of USAID development programmes in empowering local workforce and women in particular.
Hale and Brath also visited Fawzia Samawi, a pickle factory owner, in Safout area.
Samawi joined WAEDAT early and received training in business management and computer and Internet applications. She said visits of experts to her factory helped her reduce production cost and enhanced her marketing methods.
Samawi has been able to add five employees to her four-member teamwork, and hopes to expand the factory by introducing new machines and employing more workers.
Financed by USAID with $1.2 million, the WAEDAT programme has helped its participants achieve 25 per cent overall increase in sales, and 10 per cent increase in employment, according to Abu Leil.
Since 1952, the USAID has provided $4.3 billion to economically assist the Kingdom. USAID's programmes in the country are considered to be among the largest US assistance programmes world-wide, according to the US Embassy in Amman.