Jordan Times
Friday, October 15, 2004
US Charge d'Affaires tours USAID projects in Ajloun Governorate
AMMAN (JT) — US Charge d'Affaires in Amman David
Hale yesterday visited Al Hilal Charitable Society and the Jabal Akhdar
Cooperative Society in Ajloun to hear from leaders of those communities how they
have benefited from recent “grass roots community grants” provided by the US
Agency for International Development (USAID).
The grass roots community grants were provided as part of the $10 million Water
Efficiency and Public Information for Action (WEPIA) programme funded by USAID
and implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. The
grants aim to assist underprivileged communities in resolving immediate problems
related to water conservation and water-use efficiency due to a shortage of
water.
Hale first visited Al Hilal Charitable Society in Ajloun which received JD5,151
in grant funds from the USAID-funded WEPIA programme to build cisterns for water
harvesting and growing pistachio trees, according to a statement released by the
US embassy in Amman.
As a result of the grant, the community has built 12 cisterns and planted 120
pistachio seedlings. These activities are designed to provide short- and
long-term returns. Additional water provided in the short-run enable the
planting of the pistachio, which provides a long-term high economic return, the
statement said.
Hale then visited the Jabal Akhdar Cooperative Society of Ajloun which received
a grant of JD5,730 to construct 10 pear-shaped cisterns for collecting rainwater
in the winter. This initiative helped meet a grave shortage in drinking water
supplies for the Jabal Akhdar community, a problem that had caused negative
health effects.
The cisterns will also help boost agriculture productivity, the main source of
income for the residents of the community.
The grant funds were used as a revolving fund for microcredit loans. The
beneficiaries used the loans to build cisterns in their houses. As a result,
they were able to secure water for residential use, improve the health and
hygiene level of their families, and save money by not having to buy water at
high commercial prices, the statement said.
The collected rainwater also provides supplementary irrigation water for home
gardens, thus helping the residents improve their living conditions.
In its efforts to ensure that rural communities capture the benefits of economic
growth, USAID has been implementing several initiatives to help those
communities prosper and improve their access to basic services and economic
opportunities.
The Community Grants Programme implemented by the WEPIA project is one such
initiative. Although relatively small in size, the effects and benefits of these
grants have been considerable. To date, 27 grants were provided throughout
Jordan for a total amount of approximately JD140,000. The direct beneficiaries
of these grants were 1,400 persons, with the indirect beneficiaries being
estimated at more than 11,000 Jordanians, the statement said.
Employment and income- generation opportunities were increased as a result of
these grants. In addition, the increase in water availability caused by
activities carried out under these grants has had a significant positive impact
on the health of families.