Queen chairs annual JRF board meeting

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania on Monday chaired the Jordan River Foundation (JRF) annual board meeting to discuss the foundation’s recent achievements and its strategy for the coming year, according to a statement from Her Majesty’s office.

The meeting was attended by JRF Director General Enaam Barrishi and board of trustees members Amin Khlifat, Sa’ed Karajah, Suzanne Afanah, Tarik Awad, Taima Khoury Kawar, Reem Goussous Fakhoury, and Nawal Faouri.

Illustrating the foundation’s progress throughout this year, as well as its expansion plans for next year, Barrishi gave a presentation focusing on JRF’s key programmes: the Jordan River Community Empowerment Programme (JRCEP) and the Jordan River Child Safety Programme (JRCSP). 

Throughout 2017, the JRCEP implemented a number of projects that aim to increase employment rates among its beneficiaries by providing expertise, guidance, and financial support for local projects. 

The programme has also partnered with local and international organisations to support the launch of hundreds of income-generating micro and small enterprises in several governorates.

After highlighting the milestones achieved by JRCSP this year, Barrishi shared with Her Majesty the programme’s expansion plan for 2018, which includes extending its holistic prevention and intervention services across all governorates. 

The programme’s growth will be carried out in collaboration with community-based organisations, which make up the foundation’s principal implementing partners.

The board also updated the Queen on the latest developments regarding JRF’s handicrafts projects, including its recent partnership with IKEA, the world’s largest multinational furniture corporation.

Under the first phase of this partnership, IKEA Jordan will launch the first collection of handicrafts made by JRF beneficiaries, providing jobs for Jordanian women and Syrian refugees.

Established by Her Majesty in 1995, JRF is a non-governmental organisation with a focus on both child safety and community empowerment. It provides homegrown solutions to some of Jordan’s most pressing economic challenges, and incorporates both prevention and intervention models for child safety and protection.