Project profile — Jordan Valley Links: Enterprise Development in the Jordan Valley

• Jordan (100.00%)

• Banking And Financial Services: Education/training in banking and financial services (24081) (33.00%)
• Business And Other Services: Business support services and institutions (25010) (67.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (significant objective)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (significant objective)

This project aims to increase the contribution of women and youth to Jordan’s economic growth. Also, the project seeks to support 25,000 women and youth in the Jordan Valley to seize new opportunities in three targeted sectors (food processing, tourism and clean technologies) and become strong economic actors. Project activities include: (1) improving the entrepreneurial and business knowledge and expertise of women and youth through capacity building and establishing market linkages; and (2) reducing barriers to entry for enterprise development for women and youth. Local organizations are engaged in the project implementation, specifically in mobilizing communities and women and youth. These organizations provide vital knowledge of local context and culture and linkages with the communities in targeted project areas.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved entrepreneurial and business acumen of women and youth in targeted sectors; and (2) reduced barriers to entry for enterprise development for women and youth.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (January 2021) include: (1) enhanced learning capacity for 20,174 women and youth entrepreneurs. Training included mastering essential technical skills, improving business planning, as well as providing new access to technology and market information. Of those, 19,324, were trained to be aware of their businesses’ environmental risks and how to fix them. In addition, 10,018 of them received financial and other soft skills training. 6,083 of them put their skills into practice to promote their businesses using different market channels; (2) launched a pilot green waste station in southern Ghor in May 2020 which produced 25 tons of green compost from 100 tons of green waste in five months, despite pandemic-related challenges; (3) connected 8,166 women and youth entrepreneurs with mentors. In addition, 4,828 women and youth entrepreneurs participated in formal business networks and 5,249 joined informal networks; (4) trained participants on methodologies, financial literacy, small business management and other soft skills required to understand and use small loans; (5) identified loan providers and micro-finance institutions to help support women and youth expand and sustain their businesses. Provided detailed financial literacy training, which included: explaining financial products and their respective service providers and providing information on how to apply for loans with focus on business loans; (6) carried out 122 virtual and in-person campaigns to promote entrepreneurship and increase awareness of environmental issues. The campaigns reached over 3 million community members; (7) held 431 community discussions to raise awareness of gender equality principles; (8) participated in two evaluations: the first on the GroWE sector program in Jordan, and the second on impact of gender programming of the Middle East regional efforts; and (9) launched several locally-conducted assessments to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clients and partners in the region, to help inform internal analysis and mitigation plans.

• Proactive disclosure