Desertification Control (GEF-JOR-92-G51-01)

Project Details & Results

A women organization took the lead in forest management by managing and protecting forest land in Madaba area, an area close to the country's capital and is characterized by its historic and religious importance which attracts religious and eco tourism. The NGO established a training centre for youth and women. The center, called "Bait Al Bee'a" (Environment House), houses solar energy applications which are used to generate electricity needed for the center. Ancient cisterns were rehabilitated and other water harvesting techniques are also in place on site and are used, together with the solar energy applications, as practical demonstrtions for target groups.

Notable Community Participation
Youth groups from the local community groups and from other groups around the country such as school and university students, youth of the Prince Al Hasan Award Program participated actively in project activities and still camp on site evey year.

Capacity - Building Component
The project assisted the NGO, a women group which had no previous experience in environmental projects, to build its capacities in this field. It had integrated environmental considerations in all its activities now. The NGO later became one of the three partners of the Recycling Coalition which was supported by a 1st operational phase grant and which is running successfuly until now.

Gender Focus
This project was managed by women and targeted women, but this was not the only target group of the project. Youth of both sexes participated actively in all phases of the project. they had a significant role in planning, as well as actual implementation and they gained a considerable deal of envieonmental awareness through their participation.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
Project activities included a lot of public awareness activities which targeted different sectors of the community. Experts in variuos environmental issues from the government and the private sectors were attracted to share their experience with the different target groups. Public awareness activities are still conducted on the site.

Project Results
The project managed to change the policy of the Forest Directrate towards non-timber activities, allowing access to the National Forest by members of the local communitte.

The project idea was duplicated by a youth club and Jordan National Forum for Women in central Jordan, building on the experience gained by the AWO. The Forest Department also initiated a national policy to encourage community groups and even private companies to “Adopt” and manage parts of the national forest.

Two years after project completion date, the NGO managed to secure additional funding to upscale the project and establish a training and extension center for youth and women on the same site.