In 1991, HRH Princess Basma Bint Talal launched the Goodwill Campaign in response to the political, economic and social conditions that faced Jordan as a result of the Gulf War. The GWC has run continuously since then and now aims to provides urgent aid to those in need across all governorates of Jordan.
 
The GWC programmes respond to the direct needs of the Jordanian citizens, identified through JOHUD’s Community Development Centres which are located in all governorates of the Kingdom. Since 2001, the GWC has expanded its remit to include a number of non-emergency developmental programmes to address poverty and unemployment, while continuing to provide emergency assistance to the most vulnerable. Thanks to our partners and donors and supporters we were able to assist 11,928 people last year.
 
GWC Programmes
 
Long-term, Sustainable Support
Since 1994, the GWC has been providing academic assistance and training for undergraduate students to prepare them for the job market. The GWC offers scholarships to outstanding students who could otherwise not afford to continue their education, focusing on areas of study that are in-demand in the labour market. In addition, the GWC provides vocational training for young people who did not graduate from high school, a range of kindergarten programmes, and educational support for children with disabilities, especially in disadvantaged regions. In 2019, 550 young people received training or university education.
 
Medical Assistance
Since 2000, JOHUD’s GWC has been providing medical assistance to uninsured individuals in underserved areas through free primary healthcare, life-saving operations, and distributing medical devices and supplies. Last year, 6380 people received medical assistance.  
 
Emergency Assistance
Since 1991, the GWC has been delivering basic supplies to some of Jordan’s poorest families. This support includes food parcels, school supplies, clothes and winter supplies. Last year, 4900 people received emergency assistance.
 
Improved Shelter
Since 2014, the GWC has been offering home maintenance, restoration and basic necessities such as furniture and appliances to those living in substandard or dangerous accommodation. In total, we were able to assist 80 people with improved shelter last year.
 
Empowering Poverty Pocket Areas in Jordan
In 1996 the GWC expanded its efforts to improve living standards for poor families by helping them establish small revenue-generating projects. These efforts later expanded to improve job prospects for young people through training and linking them with the job market. Last year, 18 people received assistance through this programme.
 
 

One of the best long term solutions to poverty is to ensure that every citizen has secure access to a stable and sufficient income through employment. This axiom serves as the foundation for numerous JOHUD initiatives that strive to create thriving local economies, even in the most remote communities.

In order to keep up with the demands of rapidly evolving international and domestic markets, the Jordanian workforce needs to have access to the most up-to-date training in competitive fields and remain at the forefront of technological innovation. As such, JOHUD has launched a series of initiatives to ensure that its Community Development Centres (CDCs) are equipped to provide modern and comprehensive professional development training.

These programmes offer young people and women good opportunities to acquire the critical skills demanded by current and emerging markets in the manufacturing, agriculture, trade, tourism, hospitality, and finance sectors. The CDCs also provide community residents with training on skills such as effective communication strategies, teamwork, decision making, CV writing, and job interview-preparation. These opportunities ensure that job seekers throughout Jordan are able to present themselves as valuable assets to prospective employers.

Many of the CDCs also help employers connect with and recruit qualified candidates who have completed JOHUD’s professional training programmes. Additionally, JOHUD has launched three offices to help train and secure jobs for local youths in regions suffering from some of the highest rates of unemployment. Through collaboration with the UNFPA, over 4942 young people have found work thanks to programmes run from these offices.

Micro-Enterprise
A central pillar of the federal government's poverty alleviation strategy is to promote the growth of micro enterprises. JOHUD supports this effort by providing the CDC network with the resources needed to offer monetary and technical assistance to small businesses in local communities. This assistance helps prospective entrepreneurs secure loans that enable them to establish, manage, or further develop their projects.

The Small Business Unit
The Small Business Unit (SBU) represents another component of JOHUD’s broader economic empowerment strategy, by serving as a means for community residents to become self-employed. Since it was established in 1996, the SBU has helped thousands of clients establish or expand their businesses. Primarily, the SBU provides non-financial support to entrepreneurs in the form of training, capacity building, and advisory services.

However, where appropriate, the SBU also provides access to credit through its loan operation. Loans are provided to entrepreneurs, such as women, who might otherwise encounter difficulties in gaining access to credit. Through the CDC network, the SBU ensures that, even in remote areas, people can gain access to the financial support they need to help their businesses grow.

We recognise that securing a prosperous future for our country depends on our ability to manage our limited natural resources in a way that adequately meets the needs and aspirations of our local communities and economy.

Although securing access to permanent supplies of water and energy will be vital, we believe that people themselves are our most valuable resource when overcoming environmental challenges. If we commit ourselves to using every tool at our disposal to build a sustainable future for our country, we can overcome any obstacle that we face.

All development processes in Jordan are affected by environmental constraints. Jordan has very little arable land and suffers from one of the lowest per capita water supplies on earth. Additionally, numerous large-scale influxes of refugees and immigrants into Jordan have led to rapid population growth and increased strains on our limited reserves of natural resources. JOHUD supports national strategies that promote environmental conservation by implementing water and agricultural projects at our Community Development Centres (CDC) and through fostering a culture of environmental awareness throughout Jordan.

Through the CDC network, JOHUD works at the community-level to promote the economic and environmental benefits of techniques and technologies that help communities consume water in a sustainable way. This work features numerous initiatives, including but not limited to:

    • Training on the use of water harvesting methods/technologies.
    • The rehabilitation of dams, springs, and irrigation channels.
    • The management of waste water and grey water recycling.

JOHUD prioritises the implementation of these initiatives within farming communities, as agricultural production represents one of the largest contributions to the nation’s total water consumption. In addition to introducing community residents to water-efficient farming systems, these programmes also help identify prospective community partners and project sites.

Additionally, JOHUD’s training programmes encourage low-income families to use home gardens as a method of maximising the utility of water, while eliminating any unnecessary waste. These gardens also serve as a supplemental source of nutrition and as a means of generating income when harvest yields allow for the sale of surplus produce.

JOHUD became the first NGO in Jordan to assist in the sale of this produce through the establishment of rural market programmes, typically hosted at local CDC’s. By launching this initiative, JOHUD provides a space for community members to market their products while raising community environmental awareness by showcasing innovative, efficient farming techniques.

In the context of growing food insecurity, these strategies promote efficient resource consumption and self-sufficiency for those who live off the land, while increasing the amount of available food on the market.

We recognise that securing a prosperous future for our country depends on our ability to manage our limited natural resources in a way that adequately meets the needs and aspirations of our local communities and economy.

Although securing access to permanent supplies of water and energy will be vital, we believe that people themselves are our most valuable resource when overcoming environmental challenges. If we commit ourselves to using every tool at our disposal to build a sustainable future for our country, we can overcome any obstacle that we face.

All development processes in Jordan are affected by environmental constraints. Jordan has very little arable land and suffers from one of the lowest per capita water supplies on earth. Additionally, numerous large-scale influxes of refugees and immigrants into Jordan have led to rapid population growth and increased strains on our limited reserves of natural resources. JOHUD supports national strategies that promote environmental conservation by implementing water and agricultural projects at our Community Development Centres (CDC) and through fostering a culture of environmental awareness throughout Jordan.

Through the CDC network, JOHUD works at the community-level to promote the economic and environmental benefits of techniques and technologies that help communities consume water in a sustainable way. This work features numerous initiatives, including but not limited to:

    • Training on the use of water harvesting methods/technologies.
    • The rehabilitation of dams, springs, and irrigation channels.
    • The management of waste water and grey water recycling.

JOHUD prioritises the implementation of these initiatives within farming communities, as agricultural production represents one of the largest contributions to the nation’s total water consumption. In addition to introducing community residents to water-efficient farming systems, these programmes also help identify prospective community partners and project sites.

Additionally, JOHUD’s training programmes encourage low-income families to use home gardens as a method of maximising the utility of water, while eliminating any unnecessary waste. These gardens also serve as a supplemental source of nutrition and as a means of generating income when harvest yields allow for the sale of surplus produce.

JOHUD became the first NGO in Jordan to assist in the sale of this produce through the establishment of rural market programmes, typically hosted at local CDC’s. By launching this initiative, JOHUD provides a space for community members to market their products while raising community environmental awareness by showcasing innovative, efficient farming techniques.

In the context of growing food insecurity, these strategies promote efficient resource consumption and self-sufficiency for those who live off the land, while increasing the amount of available food on the market.