Princess Basma meets with directors of development fund centres

HRH Princess Basma on Tuesday chaired a meeting of directors of the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development's (JOHUD) centres across Jordan. Along with members of the press and partners of the fund, the princess, chairperson of JOHUD’s board of trustees, listened to initiatives launched by members of the youth and women’s committees working through JOHUD's 50 centres. Discussions covered mechanisms to further improve cooperation between the fund and the media in order to highlight the success stories realised through the contributions of JOHUD centres and committees in empowering women and young Jordanians. Princess Basma said the "human aspect" in these initiatives was a very significant factor in their success and that the "secret" of JOHUD’s sustainability is the experience and competence of its human resources. "Field work is also crucial in building bridges of trust with the local communities and having the chance to look in-depth at the real issues and challenges of citizens residing in remote areas, and thus find the appropriate solutions for them," she said. The princess stressed the need to enhance cooperation between JOHUD and the media to highlight the success of initiatives guided by local communities, especially in remote regions. "Overcoming the difficult stage our country is currently going through cannot be possible without the cooperation of all segments of society and developing their positive spirit," the JOHUD chairperson noted. She said there are currently 50 centres affiliated with the fund, established 35 years ago, while the number of women’s committees has reached 45 with 1,500 members. There are about 43 youth committees including 1,750 members, the princess added. Minister of Social Development Wajih Azaizeh said there is a need to "harness" development projects to serve remote areas, indicating that the vast majority of schemes that fail in Jordan are designed without taking into account the specific requirements of each area. Representatives of media outlets agreed to draw officials' attention to the "huge" capabilities and energy of citizens in remote areas and the need to invest in them. Directors of the Maan and Aqaba Princess Basma Centres said that they had learned from their experience that engaging the local communities in drawing up projects has contributed in addressing some negative phenomena in some areas, such as drug abuse. Members of women’s committees highlighted their role in monitoring abuses against women and children in their respective areas. Feisal and Hamzeh Zawaydeh, members of youth committees in the Disi area, noted that their Algorithm Scientific Initiative had succeeded in encouraging students to specialise in needed scientific areas to serve their community. At the end of the ceremony, Princess Basma presented them with certificates for completing several courses held at their respective centres. JOHUD Executive Director Farah Daghistani, former planning ministers Jawad Hadid and Suhair Al-Ali, and Finance Ministry Secretary General Ezzeddin Kanakrieh were present at the meeting along with the editors-in-chief of major newspapers. (jordan times )