Other Projects Visit Our Communities in Jordan

The participants visited two of the EMPOWERS communities (Rweiha and Omm Ayyash) where they met locals taking part of the second cycle of the project.  The citizens explained the concept of the project, its current impact on their villages, and the role assigned to them, particularly in identifying the problems where they had to deal with insufficient cooperation while collecting data from the other citizens and the governmental directorates in the governorate. 

A female citizen indicated that some parties do show readiness for cooperation but not without restrictions that need to be recognized for an optimal utilization of that cooperation, emphasizing that a prerequisite of such utilization is identifying your rights and responsibilities.  Others referred to the new knowledge they gained through dealing with official departments concerning the duties and responsibilities of these departments and the norms governing the relationship of both sides.

The visitors said that the notions they have had of the livelihood difficulties in the underprivileged communities were never materialized as they have become after this visit, for now they saw the situation there from a new firsthand perspective which incites them to work more seriously.  On the other hand, the citizens showed a new confidence in presenting their problems and in EMPOWERS as a mean of conveying these problems and help solving them.

Earlier, the 'Right to Water' group visited the administration of agriculture water in the Jordan Valley Authority where they were briefed by Eng. Yousef Al-Sakran on the water situation in the area and the role of the Authority in supplying agricultural units with irrigation water and its coordination with farmers for a better conservation of irrigation water.