Jordan Times
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
US to fund women's
Internet centre in Madaba refugee camp
By Sheila M. Dabu
MADABA — The first women's only Internet centre in Madaba Governorate will be
equipped and financed by a grant from the US Ambassador's Fund for Refugees.
Located in the Madaba refugee camp, the Madaba
Woman's Programme Centre was selected for this year's grant out of 25 NGOs and
community-based organisations associated with the United Nations Relief and
Works Agency (UNRWA).
US Charge d'Affaires David Hale and Nawal Afesh, head of the local committee of
the centre, signed the grant agreement at a ceremony in Madaba on Tuesday.
Under the agreement, the centre will receive $17,446 for equipment and
first-year operating costs from the fund. The Ambassador's Fund for Refugees is
designed to quickly respond to critical gaps in refugee assistance and
protection that can be filled locally for under $20,000 and that are not being
addressed by UN agencies or NGOs that are receiving funding from the US
government.
There are Internet centres in other refugee camps such as the Baaqa camp but
this is the first in Madaba and the surrounding area.
According to UNWRA Public Information Officer Matar Saqer, there are 1.8 million
refugees registered with the agency in Jordan. The Madaba camp hosts 10,000
refugees, according to an official from the Department of Palestinian Affairs.
About half of them are women.
Sanaa Abu Teeneh, president of the Madaba Women's Programme Centre, said the
idea of the Internet centre came from the women who live in the camp.
“We tangibly felt this need and the difficulties that women faced when they
wanted access to the Internet,” Abu Teeneh told The Jordan Times.
“It is important for them because of its proximity. Also social traditions
prevent women from going outside the camp. Therefore, we're providing them a
centre that is close to them with Internet access,” she said.
Abu Teeneh expects between 200-250 women to use the Internet centre. Fifty women
currently take sewing, makeup, handicrafts, parenting, physical fitness and
computer courses at the centre.
Schoolchildren as young as 12 years old and university students also make use of
the centre currently.
“The objective of the centre is to empower the Palestinian women in the refugee
camp in all fields,” said Abu Teeneh.
This goal coincides with UNWRA's aim of empowering women.
“We are doing our best to enhance the condition of women, to raise awareness of
their rights so that they can play an effective role in the community, said
Saqer. “We educate them on civic affairs and democracy,” he added.
Another advantage of Internet access for women is that it will enable them to
market their products online, Afesh said, noting that Internet training would
also be provided.
“The Women's Internet Centre will help them do their research and get to know
more about the rest of the world,” said Afesh.
Representatives from UNWRA, DPA, the American embassy, the camp residents and
the mayor of Madaba attended yesterday's ceremony.