MedTOWN project is providing small grants to support local initiatives in Irbid, Jordan. The grants ( €35 000 for a total of 3 projects) aim to empower the community and promote initiatives of social and solidarity economy (SSE) in the region that will create social business opportunities for people that are at risk of exclusion. The Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD), Jordanian partner of the project, is responsible for the monitoring and overseeing the implementation of the pilot projects and ensuring that targeted groups have benefited ((People With Disabilities (PWD), women, and refugees).

The three proposals chosen for the grant were diverse and had the potential to create a positive impact in the local community

The first proposal will finance the cultivation of thyme under greenhouses and the extraction of its oil for the production and sale of natural products with high nutritional and health value in affordable prices. The project intends to provide a sustainable source of income for people with special needs and women living in rural areas by supporting them in developing their skills to produce and market their products.

The second proposal will support the manufacture of wigs and hair extensions, by training unemployed women on methods of manufacturing wigs and hair extensions. Part of the wigs and hair extensions to be produced will be distributed to the patients of the King Hussein Cancer Centre, thus supporting both economic empowerment and social welfare.

The third proposal aims at training local youth on marketing concepts, tools, and networking, thereby enhancing their skills and connecting them with start-up companies. The project aims to work towards strengthening the role of civil society institutions in social welfare and providing training and employment opportunities for young people. Within the pilot project, it is expected that 25 young men and women will improve their capacities in the field of marketing and management of small projects that will be benefited from a marketing platform and a network of 10 civil society organisations.

During the Jordanian Minister of Social Development’s visit to MedTOWN Social Business Incubato, the representatives of the pilot projects had the opportunity to introduce her to their initiatives and expected benefits for the community.

A successful initiative

The Call for Subgrants, was published in the MedTOWN Community of Practice and disseminated through the media channels and networks of MedTOWN project and JOHUD, to make sure that it effectively reached a wide audience. The process of announcing and selection of final beneficiaries was implemented on 2 rounds targeting Al Koura and Al Mazar. To maximize the impact of the grant, JOHUD organized multiple comprehensive training sessions online and in person to introduce the objectives and targets of the grant to the local community in Irbid. This training, facilitated by JOHUD and Al Sarh consulting company, aimed to build awareness, and understanding among potential applicants.

More than 15 proposals were presented, 7 of them were shortlisted for pitching sessions to evaluate their sustainability and impact in the local communities and finally 3 pilot projects were selected for funding. All of them aim at contributing to the social and economic integration of PWD, women, young people and refuges through social business initiatives that are supported by a local multilateral partnership.

JOHUD has partnered with many local organisations and stakeholders to promote socio-economic growth in Irbid through the Social Business Incubator financed by MedTOWN and hosted in the Ministry of Social Development.

By empowering local individuals and groups through the sub-grants and pilot projects, these organizations are fostering community development and social and solidarity economy (SSE) initiatives.

Through their support, the selected projects demonstrate the creativity, resourcefulness, and dedication of the community towards building a brighter future. It is hoped that these initiatives will inspire others to take part in similar endeavours and serve as a catalyst for further progress.