Jordan Times
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Queen commends Jordanian
women's spirit, determination
By Ahmad Barakat
AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania officially
launched the Women's Access to Entrepreneurship Development and Training (WAEDAT)
Programme on Monday, which has so far helped 122 Jordanian women entrepreneurs
expand their existing businesses.
WAEDAT was established in 2004 to offer training and counselling to women
entrepreneurs in the healthcare, food processing, cosmetics,
business-to-business and handicrafts sectors in Amman, Irbid, Zarqa and Madaba.
WAEDAT Programme Director Wijdan Abu Leil briefed Queen Rania, several
ministers, US Charge D'Affaires David Hale, Acting USAID Director David Barth
and NGOs representatives on the endeavour's achievements.
A group of 11 WAEDAT beneficiaries demonstrated how they were able to link their
businesses after joining the programme.
“WAEDAT differs from other similar programmes because the services offered are
not limited to training and expert advice,” said Abu Leil.
“It promotes and facilitates business networking and builds linkages between
women in different businesses and market sectors with intensive follow-up,” she
added.
According to Abu Leil, the programme will expand geographically to reach women
in Aqaba, Ajloun and Balqa, and is set to increase the number of beneficiaries
to 270 by mid-2006.
At an informal meeting with WAEDAT participants following the launch ceremony,
Queen Rania lauded the spirit of initiative, confidence and determination of
Jordanian women benefiting from the programmes aimed at empowering them through
microfinance and small businesses.
“You have taken the sector to newer heights. The networking among you will
further enhance your capabilities, expand your horizons as you share in the
development of the country,” she told the women entrepreneurs.
Sharing the success stories and ambitions of the women, Queen Rania noted the
qualitative leap in terms of products and outreach as well as the opportunities
such programmes have been providing.
WAEDAT, or “promising women” in Arabic, is designed to provide business-related
training and capacity building to women entrepreneurs to ensure their sustained
economic growth.
The $1.2 million programme, financed by the USAID's AMIR Programme, has helped
its participants achieve 25 per cent overall increase in sales, and 10 per cent
increase in employment, according to Abu Leil.