USAID supports women producer groups at Souk Jara

The participation of these women comes as a result of technical support provided by the USAID Jordan Economic Development Program (SABEQ) to producer groups with an aim to achieve financial sustainability and the independence within three years.

The second goal of this support is to enhance the crafts sector and help generate vitality and creativity in a challenging environment. The crafts sector is an important economic element within the tourism sector.

Continuous work within the crafts sector by the USAID Jordan Economic Development Program (SABEQ), includes developing a long-term strategy for the sector, and achieving success in Irbid and Karak.

The proposed strategy envisions growth of the crafts sector in these regions through new design opportunities, mentoring local designers in the creation of new product lines and thereby expanding their aesthetic repertoire, increasing market opportunities both inside Jordan and abroad, increase production capacity of producers in planned increments, and train producers in using new production methods and materials.

To date, five product lines have been designed, with more additional lines planned to be designed within the coming months. The mechanism for introducing these new product ideas to the producer groups will be through three young local designers, to work with the women groups to produce prototypes.

USAID Jordan Economic Development Program (SABEQ) is a five year broad economic development initiative implemented by BearingPoint, Inc. and a sizeable team of international and Jordanian partner firms.

By both supporting improvements in the business environment and providing assistance to expand innovation and productivity in Jordanian businesses, it supports the main objective of building up the private sector as a powerful engine of economic growth.