Youth initiative seeks to restore tradition for jameed production

AMMAN — A Karak-based initiative seeks to harness the energy of young people to renergise the traditional jameed-making process.

Jameed is the dried yoghurt used in Jordan’s national dish mansaf. 

The Jameed Experience Initiative was founded in December 2021 by two Jordanian youth, Salsabeela Oshaibat and Shadi Oshaibat, in the Karak Governate, the project is sponsored by USAID YouthPower project in cooperation with Jordan Heritage. 

Reeman Dweik, who provides technical support for the initiative, said that sustainable development projects are needed to combat the unemployment challenge.

Youth go through an intensive training programme, during which they are trained to perform all the planning, forecasting and implementing process needed for the success of the project. 

Jameed, which is processed sheep milk, is a traditional Jordanian cooking ingredient. Due to emerging technology, the traditional recipe for making jameed was somehow forgotten. 

However, Oshaibat and Shadi worked to retrieve the traditional way of making jameed and turn it into an experience for both locals and tourists. 

“Jameed differs in taste, texture and acidity, we have three different traditional recipes for making jameed in the Kingdom”, Oshaibat told The Jordan Times. 

“We want to conserve jameed making process as heritage”, Oshaibat noted. 

Oshaibat stated that a lot of changes were noticed lately in the jameed production process, as well as people shifting from locally-made jameed to imported products. 

Imported jameed is considered a major threat to the families relying on jameed production as a main source of income, as well as a threat to the actual traditional process of making jameed.

“We want tourists to experience the process, not only to taste Jameed,” she stated. 

Oshaibat added that during the experience visitors go through detailed steps of jameed production.