Jordan Times
Thursday, November 18, 2004
JD3 million allocated to
enhance capacity of NGOs
AMMAN (Petra) — The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation on
Wednesday launched a new programme targeting non-governmental organisations
(NGOs) in a bid to build their capacity and enhance their contribution to civic
community activities and political development.
According to Social Productivity Programme Director Omar Rafie, the JD3 million
programme will be carried out within a period of 18 months, targeting 70 civic
society institutions, in addition to implementing 40 productive projects.
Sixty per cent of the programme's overall budget will go towards funding
projects to be implemented by a variety of NGOs, Rafie indicated.
The programme will work to build up the potentials of NGOs, enabling them to
take part in the governorates' process of sustainable development, through the
provision of training and development of managerial programmes.
During the second phase of the project, development projects will be carried
out, providing a chance for NGOs to practise the skills they acquired during the
training programme.
The programme also aims to enhance legislation regulating the work of private
bodies and to raise public awareness of the contribution of NGOs towards
sustainable development.
The new initiative, part of the ministry's Enhanced Productivity Programme,
reflects the government's commitment to eliminate poverty and unemployment in
the Kingdom's underprivileged areas, through the provision of local products and
services and utilising local manpower.
The programme is due to begin at the beginning of 2005 and will target different
community institutions, including charitable and cooperative societies,
voluntary organisations, youth centres and clubs and community development
centres.