Jordan River Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Jordan River Foundation is a non-profit organization started in December 1995 in Amman
, Jordan
to empower society, especially women and children, and in turn, improve the quality of life to secure a better future for all Jordanians. The foundation was founded by and is chaired by Queen Rania Al-Abdullah.
The foundation's mission statement reads as follows:
Located on Jabal Amman
, the Jordan River Foundation showroom occupies the house built in the 1936 by Salim al-Odat. Odat rented the house to the British army which then occupied Jordan throughout the 1930s to be used as offices. He sold it in 1939, after which it went through a number of owners in which it was used as a house, a police station, and a school during the 1960s. But in the 1980s, the house was abandoned and fell into disrepair. Then, at the end of the decade, when a potential buyer threatened to tear down the house, architect Zaid al-Qoussous bought it so as to preserve the house. In 1994, the house was bought and renovated by the Jordan River Foundation to be used as their showroom. Several companies and embassies contributed to the renovation:
The Bani Hamida Women's Weaving Project is one of the projects hosted by the Jordan River Foundation. Based in Mukawir, near Madaba
, the project works to promote bedouin
handicrafts and to improve economic and social well being of bedouin women and children. The Bani Hamida handicrafts are displayed in the Jordan River Foundation showroom.
The Foundation’s Board of Trustees consists of individuals from the public, private and non-profit sectors who provide valuable leadership and expertise while working in close coordination with the Director General and staff to ensure the strategic development of JRF. The Board oversees and monitors the implementation of all JRF projects, as well as refines administrative and financial systems and procedures. One of the Board’s major responsibilities is to ensure that the Foundation operates with fiscally sound and ethically accepted accounting and management practices, thus ensuring the Foundation’s transparency and accountability at all times.
JRF's successful management is shaped by an executive team led by the Director General who harnesses the capabilities and expertise of employees to ensure demand-driven implementation and facilitation of its programs and activities.
The Foundation employs 137 experienced staff to manage its programs, centers and services. These qualified individuals participate in continuous training and capacity building activities to enhance their knowledge and skills, creating a dedicated cadre. In addition to the staff, 35 volunteers devote their time and efforts in fundraising activities through annual and ad noc special events. They are also involved in development projects that mobilize community members to address specific needs and priorities.
The current Director General is Valentina Qussisiya
.
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
to empower society, especially women and children, and in turn, improve the quality of life to secure a better future for all Jordanians. The foundation was founded by and is chaired by Queen Rania Al-Abdullah.
The foundation's mission statement reads as follows:
"The foundation's mission is to promote, in partnership with stakeholders, the development of a dynamic Jordanian society by initiating and supporting sustainable social, economic and cultural programs that empower communities and individuals based on their needs and priorities."
As a leading Jordanian NGO, The Jordan River Foundation (JRF) is committed to making a difference in the lives of children and families through its national programs, the Community Empowerment Program and the Jordan River Children Program.
Since Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah established JRF in 1995, it has been directly involved in empowering local community members and protecting children from abuse.
Showroom
Jabal Amman
Jabal Amman is one of the seven hills that originally made up Amman, Jordan. Today, Jabal Amman is near the old downtown area.-History:Along with the rest of old Amman, Jabal Amman was first settled during the Neolithic period. But unlike nearby hills, particularly Jabal al-Qal'a, Jabal Amman was...
, the Jordan River Foundation showroom occupies the house built in the 1936 by Salim al-Odat. Odat rented the house to the British army which then occupied Jordan throughout the 1930s to be used as offices. He sold it in 1939, after which it went through a number of owners in which it was used as a house, a police station, and a school during the 1960s. But in the 1980s, the house was abandoned and fell into disrepair. Then, at the end of the decade, when a potential buyer threatened to tear down the house, architect Zaid al-Qoussous bought it so as to preserve the house. In 1994, the house was bought and renovated by the Jordan River Foundation to be used as their showroom. Several companies and embassies contributed to the renovation:
- USAID
- Embassy of JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
- Canadian Embassy
- Embassy of the Federal Republic of GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
- Australian Embassy
- Othman Mohamed Ali Bdeir
- Arab Technical Group
- Heating Supplies Company
- Technolinks
Bani Hamida Women's Weaving Project
Madaba
Madaba , is the capital city of Madaba Governorate of Jordan, which has a population of about 60,000. Madaba is the fifth most populous town in Jordan. It is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of The Holy Land...
, the project works to promote bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
handicrafts and to improve economic and social well being of bedouin women and children. The Bani Hamida handicrafts are displayed in the Jordan River Foundation showroom.
Wadi Al Rayan Project
The Wadi Al Rayan Project is hosted by the Jordan River Foundation showroom. A group of 165 women involved in the project make baskets, mats, and furniture from local banana leaves and cattail reeds.Management
Since its inception, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah has been involved in all aspects of JRF’s development. As the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, she chairs Board meetings and provides visionary leadership to ensure the existence of long-term, impact-oriented programs.The Foundation’s Board of Trustees consists of individuals from the public, private and non-profit sectors who provide valuable leadership and expertise while working in close coordination with the Director General and staff to ensure the strategic development of JRF. The Board oversees and monitors the implementation of all JRF projects, as well as refines administrative and financial systems and procedures. One of the Board’s major responsibilities is to ensure that the Foundation operates with fiscally sound and ethically accepted accounting and management practices, thus ensuring the Foundation’s transparency and accountability at all times.
JRF's successful management is shaped by an executive team led by the Director General who harnesses the capabilities and expertise of employees to ensure demand-driven implementation and facilitation of its programs and activities.
The Foundation employs 137 experienced staff to manage its programs, centers and services. These qualified individuals participate in continuous training and capacity building activities to enhance their knowledge and skills, creating a dedicated cadre. In addition to the staff, 35 volunteers devote their time and efforts in fundraising activities through annual and ad noc special events. They are also involved in development projects that mobilize community members to address specific needs and priorities.
The current Director General is Valentina Qussisiya
Valentina Qussisiya
Valentina Qussisiya is the current Director General of the Jordan River Foundation, a leading NGO in Amman, Jordan chaired by Queen Rania Al-Abdullah. Before her appointment as Director General at JRF, she was the Foundation's Deputy Director and headed the Resource Development Department and the...
.