I would have never imagined meeting Her Majesty one day, but when she visited Wadi Araba, I realized that we have achieved something to be proud of.
"I am so grateful for your help, I have talked to my mother about what I am experiencing and she has been very supportive since
"JRF has transformed me into a Super Citizen
"I knew that this project can change my life... I met many people and have more self-confidence.
"“My father encourages me to continue my education after he witnessed my success; I am a changed woman. Today I am a real member in the family; participate in decision making equal to my brothers and full of belief that in order to make a change, you should change from within yourself first.
"My work with JRF and in the complex enriched my experience and my university studies; it is truly the ultimate prize.
"The smile we draw on the innocent faces of these young girls is the source of our strong-will and determination to continue and expand the work we have started", thank you JRF.
"In University, am not Abu Sakher or the head of an association, am just a regular student and my daughter’s colleague.
"I feel empowered as I became one of two decision makers in my house. I now help my husband around the house, I learned how to drive and bought my first car after three years of work. My husband and I bought a land and a house and we are saving for the education of our three children.
"I was shy and had few friends; today I am blessed with many friends within my community.
"Working with JRF, I discovered there are no limits to ambition. Working with youth, inspired me even more to develop myself personally so I enrolled in University; something I never thought was possible.
"Both skills and experience that I acquired from the center made me feel that I have a message to share with other women; my work as an educator is just a small token to show my gratitude.
"We are in a much better place; our voices are heard by authorities after a long time of silence, we know how to deal with challenges and transform them into opportunities.
"The Safe Room is a haven for distressed girls whom we have longed to assist for the past years," "in this space, students can speak freely and confidentially about their deepest pains and fears, seek guidance, and receive support.
"I come from an area of small farmers who can barely sell their produce to the local market and with the suppressed prices during the high season, the farmers are content if they just break-even… a cold storage and a food processing unit was a dream for us but we never thought that it can become reality.
"I felt so good after that call” said the counselor who spoke to Suha and her mother, “it is live proof that doing what we do can have a real impact on someone’s life. Suha is not alone in her struggle anymore, we made that happen
"My parents, who opposed the idea at the beginning, recognize the new me and encouraged my twin brother to join.
"We are proud to declare that the Safe Room has assisted more than 60 girls since 2009 and was successful in returning ten dropouts to school again," "corporal punishment have dropped down significantly, and parents are showing more collaboration with our project.
"I would have had no future if it wasn’t for the program and the support of the Jordan River Foundation.
"The beacon that guides the residents towards one goal for the benefit of all.
"I was empowered by Jordan River Foundation’s training and worked hard to change, leading my father to change too”
"I had no idea Suha was going through such a hard time. I could see there was something wrong, but I didn’t know what to do about it. Thank you for helping us
"I want to be popular like other girls in my class”, she complains “why is this happening to me?
"I never thought that this experience will change me into a complete different person.
"When Her Majesty’s visited us to share our experience, her words motivated us; I will never forget it when she said we rephrased the meaning of the word “Citizen” through our work.
"The training I received on Basic life Skills, Leadership Skills and volunteering have enriched my teen years and developed my personality.
"Through JRF's training programs, Madeline and I are able to identify cases of abuse in school, assist girls through creative and indirect methodologies such as writing and drawing and cooperate with the Family Protection Department in Aqaba when needed.
"I felt like a prisoner, today I accept my daughter’s illness, I know how to deal with her, before I used to deal with her illness instead.”
"We were determined to find the space in our compounded school building, and with humble resources we agreed to renovate the old storage.
"I lived my childhood in KSA, I had no idea what the word “volunteer” meant until I became one.
"It was a daunting path towards an old and dark storage room, we never imagined that this same space could become a bright, safe and attractive room, it has actually become our favorite spot in the school.
"My experience with JRF changed me, I realize now that the prize is bigger than money; it is great friends and the feeling of pride every time I pass by a school or a street that we helped to change.
"My life has changed completely.
"I continuously talk to my peers and encourage them to enroll in the centers various programs and activities. At school, I stood out in my class as I became more confident and empowered; now I want my younger brothers to join the center so they get the same opportunity I did.
"The desert of Wadi Araba became a green paradise producing only the best, and our community divided one day, is now working together under Qaa Al-Se’diyeen Association.
"Inside us is a new feeling that we haven’t experienced before, the feeling of true citizenship and responsibility towards ourselves and our community”
"Like many, I was occupied with the details of my own daily life. I walked in the neighborhood on a daily basis, it was impossible to avoid the scattered garbage or twisting my ankle when walking over a hidden hole; yet I did nothing, we did nothing to change. It was always easier to blame the authorities. All of this changed once we enrolled in the JRF’s program which taught us the spirit in working as a team.
"My dream is to start my own business one day soon.
"I liked to practice what I learned at home, and I had no idea that my brothers and sisters were learning too.
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The Training and Consultancy Services Unit (TCS) is the training arm of the Foundation, providing all services related to training, mentoring and capacity building. Since the establishment of TCS in 1999, approximately 5,212 males and 5,206 females have benefited from training and short business management sessions. The manager of JRF’s TCS Unit is a master trainer with over 15 years of experience in the field of training and capacity building. Additionally, the Unit is the only NGO with trainers who are accredited and certified in topics such as Advanced Participatory Methods (APM) and PACE methodologies.
As one of JRF’s fundamental sources of support for community-based initiatives, its mission is to build the capacity of communities by providing local community-based businesses, cooperatives, institutions, and individuals with managerial and technical training services, consultancies, referrals and other services related to community needs. Through JRF’s involvement in local communities, the importance of capacity building as a crucial component of development initiatives and of the long-term sustainability of projects became more apparent. For this reason, JRF now incorporates capacity building activities from the onset of project design through to final implementation.
The TCS Unit is responsible for implementing the assessment and training components of JRF projects. Moreover, the Unit also works and functions as a training resource for development organizations, counterparts and target groups.
Approach
The TCS Unit uses a capacity building methodology that strengthens beneficiaries’ technical and managerial capacities. This begins by assessing individual capacities and identifying capacity building needs, through specially designed forms and assessment visits. Following this, programs which meet these needs are designed, and TCS staff then follows up with these beneficiaries to evaluate business performance. Training topics and manuals developed by the Unit are based on TCS long-term involvement and expertise in building the capacity of JRF beneficiaries, CBOs and cooperatives. At the end of 2007, TCS had a team of 20 staff members and freelance trainers, of which 65% are women.
Expanding TCS’ Impact and Profitability
Beyond serving the communities where we operate, and supporting stand-alone programs, TCS has expanded its outreach to serve two additional target groups. These groups have the potential to contribute significantly to the broader scaling up and national application of solutions, and in order to do so, they require specific skills and techniques, which will ultimately lead to numerous successes. The TCS plans to continue working with these two groups, and to increasing its level of involvement with them.
Empowering Professionals
TCS is certified to deliver national and regional training on Active Participation Methods for enhanced community dialogue, and is also certified by the International Labour Organization to provide its international “Start and Improve your Business” Training Program. In 2008, one of TCS’ main objectives was to train and achieve certification for a growing number of JRF staff in APM, and also to train an increasing number of other potential professionals in this field. Such training sessions helped create a pool of talent that can be part of broader national and regional solutions, which can respond to major challenges facing the region.
Empowering Institutions
In 2007, TCS began training more institutions, both in Jordan and the Region, in areas where JRF has achieved significant success. Training and consultations were conducted in Saudi Arabia, including Al-Ber Society in the Eastern Province (Princess Jawaher Center for Benevolence Candles); and the Society of Majid Bin Abdulaziz for Development and Social Services in Jeddah. JRF is confident that these organizations will focus their efforts throughout the Region to address the same core issues that JRF addresses through its work.
Expanding CEP and Stand-alone Programs
TCS will continue to serve CEP initiatives and stand-alone projects. The revenue returns from TCS’s work have transformed it into a profit center; and these returns have been carefully reinvested into JRF programming, and in turn contribute to the overall financial sustainability of JRF’s programs and operations. The proceeds also contribute to JRF’s growing emphasis on scaling up programs.
