Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Bisher Al Khasawneh toured Jerash and Ajloun on Monday to inspect multiple development, production, tourism and health facility projects, as part of a series of visits to various governorates and regions of the Kingdom.

The prime minister began his tour by visiting the Jerash Women’s Association, the first association established in the governorate in 1971, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The association aims to empower women and youth and prepare them to take part in the labour market. The association teaches women and youth handicrafts, helps them establish projects that guarantee their employment and links them to potential employers.

Since its establishment, the association has contributed to the training and employment of more than 7,000 women and benefitted over 1,500 female and male youth.

Khasawneh praised the high quality of products in the handicraft workshops, including the quality of weaving, sewing, embroideries, handicrafts, ceramics and antiques.

The prime minister directed the minister of tourism and antiquities and the minister of industry, trade and supply to find appropriate mechanisms to market these products in a way that will benefit their producers and contribute to more job opportunities.

The PM was also briefed on the association’s psychological support services for adolescents, efforts to build the knowledge of families, individuals, youth and women in various fields, support future leaders of change and equip children with necessary skills for their future.

He stressed the implementation of additional awareness programmes for environmental preservation, forest and public facility cleanliness, excessive logging, fire damage, vegetation cover and tourism, especially given that Jerash and Ajloun are important tourist destinations.

Khasawneh also visited Beit Khairat Souf of Al Noor Al Mubin Charitable Society, whose building dates back to 1881 and was renovated as a heritage building in 2016. The building now provides job opportunities to women and young people from the local community through its small cooking academy, providing food to visitors, cooking popular food with tourists and teaching courses in simple handicrafts.

These services have attracted 25,000 tourists, Petra reported.

Such productive projects receive the attention of His Majesty King Abdullah, who always directs the government to provide support for them and enables their establishment, Khasawneh emphasised.

He highlighted the important role of small- and medium-sized enterprises to create job opportunities, especially in light of the limited ability of the public sector to provide jobs.

Khasawneh called for organising exhibitions for the products to expand their market, such as in tourist facilities and major commercial centres, in addition to expediting the licensing procedures for small- and medium-sized enterprises and approving their products. This would help increase employment and encourage creative, non-traditional project ideas, according to Khasawneh.

He also expressed his appreciation of the women and youth working in these areas, stressing the government's support of their work and its efforts to help with all obstacles they might face.

The prime minister concluded his tour in Jerash by visiting the Tusker Apparel company in Souf, which has provided approximately 250 job opportunities in the local community.

Khasawneh praised this company’s "successful investment model”, whose exports during the last six months amounted to nearly JD19 million