The Ministry of Social Development on Wednesday reiterated the government’s keenness on supporting all initiatives aimed to alleviate the impacts of the hard economic conditions.

Minister of Social Development Ayman Mufleh  during a virtual ceremony to sign cooperation agreements with the Business Development Centre (BDC) and a number of charity societies, said that these development projects would have a direct and tangible impact on reducing unemployment rate and providing investment opportunities for the local community.

According to a ministry statement, the agreements are aimed to establish productive projects within the associations to provide jobs for young people, as part of Azem, a UNICEF-funded economic project to support hardest-hit communities implemented by the BDC, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

UNICEF Jordan Representative Tanya Chapuisat, during the event, highlighted the role of civil society institutions in managing and implementing sustainable development projects that provide basic needs for civil society members and jobs for women during these tough circumstances that require finding income sources for them and their children.

The agreement stipulates a rapid intervention to provide temporary employment opportunities for women between the  ages of 18 and 24, in addition to training them to establish productive projects, such as dairy, baking and textiles, among others.

The BDC through Azem has chosen 20 societies in Shobak, Qaryguera, Subha, Sobhia, Disi, Wadi Araba, Hassa, countryside of the Southern Jordan Valley, Al Jafer, Mohammedia, Melih and Dhiban to begin the implementation of the agreements.