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At the heart of JOHUD is
the network of fifty community development centres (CDCs) through which JOHUD
reaches out to people living in poverty in the most remote and
underserved communities. Located in both rural and urban areas, the
CDCs provide a focal point for a wide range of groups to work together
to promote sustainable development that meets the needs of the whole
community.
Each of the 50 centres is run locally, with a management committee
comprised of representatives from local Community Based Organisations
(CBOs), service providers, leaders and activists. The programme of
services and projects in each CDC differs according to local needs, but
overall they promote social, economic, political and cultural
empowerment.
JOHUD encourages women to play leading
roles in the organisation. Each CDC has a women's committee, so women
can work collectively on issues of shared interest, and can ensure that
their needs are recognised and responded to. Many of the CDC managers
are women. This creates a body of confident, empowered women keen to
play an active role in local democratic processes.
Young people are
encouraged to take part in after-school clubs and then to graduate to
the youth committees and to invest their energy in community projects
where they help their neighbours and develop their potential. Through
the CDC they attend training so that they gain the skills and
confidence to be productive, whether through employment, enterprise or
community work.
CDCs provide a focal
point for alliance-building: over 250 CBOs and thousands of volunteers
work alongside JOHUD to reach shared goals.Together they advocate for
policies and programmes that address the needs of the poor. JOHUD also
attracts funds from national and international donors and channels them
to the local CDCs so they can tackle specific challenges
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Through the CDC network, JOHUD supported:
98 Kindergarten classes attended by 5,147 pre-schoolers
28 Children's clubs with 1,829 participants in activities
926 youth volunteers and committee members
50 women's committees
with 2,000 active members
20 Computer Centres
191 Vocational training
courses
528 physiotherapy sessions
for disabled
63 rural markets held at the CDCs
10 women employed as CDC managers
36 women employed as rural leaders
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JOHUD CDCs - activities to meet all kinds of need
Kindergartens
provide a child-centred environment in which toddlers and young
children learn through play and so gain a solid foundation to achieve
their full potential later in life.
Children's clubs provide engaging activities for six to fourteen-year-olds and ensure they enjoy their ‘right to play’.
Youth clubs
offer adolescents the chance to play a more responsible role in the
community and to build self-confidence to make effective life choices
that will prepare them for adulthood.
Parents groups and PTAs encourage parents to be actively involved in the education of their children and to share in ‘better parenting’ programmes.
ICT centres provide computer training courses and a gateway to access information, connect people and help bridge the digital divide.
Vocational training courses
develop skills that can be used for income generation: sewing,
handicrafts, food processing, carpentry, construction, etc.
Special needs programmes
cater to people with disabilities and special needs, involving the
whole community in providing support and rehabilitation. For more
information on this work click here
Business support provides
training and advice to potential micro-entrepreneurs, especially women
and youth, and helps them access and manage credit.
Fair trade networks and farmers markets
help small producers to develop new products and to work collectively
to market their goods to discerning customers who will pay a fair price
for home-produce and handicrafts. For more information on this work
click here
Projects implemented at
the CDCs help communities find local solutions to critical problems.
These cover a wide range of themes, from environmental projects such as
recycling and water harvesting, to reproductive health projects, to
political empowerment projects that promote democratisation and good
governance, as well as economic projects that strengthen rural and
urban livelihoods. For more information about JOHUD's projects, click here
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The context for JOHUD's work in community development
Selected analysis from NHDR 2004
"Jordan is witnessing a trend
towards increasing decentralisation of responsibility. For decentralisation to bring about
significant improvements in well-being of the poor, it needs to be accompanied
by increased local democracy and more effective governance structures through
which the poor can hold service providers and elected representatives
accountable.
"Greater co-ordination can be achieved when service providers,
local authorities, the private sector and the poor work together to identify
local solutions to local problems.
"Civil
society can act as a catalyst for change by bringing the parties together and
advocating
for the poor. Local development does not necessarily require additional funds
but can often result in savings from increased efficiency and the elimination
of waste and duplication.
"The process of decentralisation opens up channels of
communication and opportunities for genuine partnerships where all parties
benefit."
Source NHDR 2004
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