Greater Amman Municipality launches the annual 'School Bags' campaign

GAM's campaign, themed 'Our Community... Our Responsibility', is being conducted jointly with the private sector, as part of the Municipality's social responsibility towards the Jordanian community.

It also demonstrates GAM's interest in carrying out social and humanitarian initiatives that help in easing the financial burdens on citizens, preserving the children's right of education, and curbing the students' breakout from schools.

In a press conference held recently at GAM headquarters, Deputy City Director for Social, Sports and Cultural Affairs, Eng. Haytham Jweinat told journalists that this year's campaign is a distinctive one, due to the active participation of citizens in supporting its purpose.

He said that several companies and private institutions are sponsoring the campaign which covers four districts within Amman, and three others in the cities of Ma'een, Jerash and Russeifa.

Jweinat expressed hope that the campaign next year will reach all of the Capital's 27 districts, as GAM plans to increase the number of donated school bags from 15,000 pieces this year to 100,000 in 2010.

He noted that the Municipality's campaign is being coordinated with the Ministry of Education and 'Madrasati' (My School) Initiative which was launched by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah in April 2008.

Jweinat said the campaign does not conflict with the social initiatives and campaigns that are usually launched by other private and public institutions in Jordan.

He praised the efforts escorted by the participating companies in supporting the campaign, which he believed will draw smiles on the faces of hundreds of school children and their families. The campaign also aims at encouraging the children to succeed in their educational pursuit.

The 15000 school bags will be distributed on children of the poor families as well as those of the low-income, and the underprivileged. Therefore, the bags will go to the families living in the districts of Sahab, Al-Mawaggar, Uhod, Husban, Umm Al-Basateen, and Kherbet Al-Souk.

They will be distributed in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. Each bag contains pens, pencils, eraser, pencil sharpener, ruler and a number of copybooks.

In the same context, representatives of the sponsoring companies, namely Orange Jordan, Saraya Company, Toyota, and the Egyptian Arab Real-Estate Bank, have expressed their keenness to participate in all the humanitarian and social initiatives that are conducted by the public sector.

They maintained that such participation help in enhancing development among citizens, especially the low-income, and promoting the private sector's social responsibility.

They joined forces with GAM in calling upon all members of the private sector to take part in these initiatives that will eventually help in enhancing their partnership with members of the public sector.

Director of the Communication Department and Amman's Identity, Ms. Rozene Al-Nabr said the campaign comes as part of a series of initiatives the Municipality is launching regularly to serve all districts in the Capital. She expressed hope that the latest campaign will achieve its goals, and facilitate the access to education in different parts of Amman on the part of school children.

It is worth mentioning that GAM is also launching other social initiatives and campaigns, including 'Bank Al-Ghithaa' (The Food Bank) initiative, 'Kullona Ahl' (We All Are Family) initiative, as well as the annual 'Tribute to Late King Hussein' campaign in the holy month of Ramadan.