Two grant agreements worth US$ 72,000 to support environmental projects by non-governmental organizations will be signed at the United Nations Development Programme headquarter in Amman on Thursday, May 4th, 2006 at 11:30 a.m.  The agreements will be signed by Ms. Christine McNab, the UNDP Resident Representative in Jordan, and presidents of the concerned NGOs. 

Through one of these agreements, the Global Environment Facility/ Small Grants Programme GEF/SGP will support the Cultural Forum of Blind Women in Jordan to establish the first Environmental and Educational Exhibit for the Blind in the country.  The project aims to contribute to the overall effort of protecting biodiversity through involving one of the marginalized groups of the community and use their experience to enhance the general community’s awareness of the importance of biodiversity protection.  This will be achieved through designing and conducting a training and awareness programme that includes training workshops, awareness sessions and tours to Jordan’s nature reserves and other GEF/SGP project sites, specially designed for the blind and their families and friends.  The programme will also include computer training using computers with special sound features designed for the blind, as well as training on Braille language.  The electronic training package will cover environmental and biodiversity issues including important flora and fauna and areas of special importance to biodiversity and agro-biodiversity. The project will also provide Braille printers, which will improve the blind’s access to information.  Setting up the exhibit and conducting the various activities of the project will be achieved in cooperation with the concerned specialists and specialized institutions. The exhibit will be located at the Forum’s headquarter in King Abdulla Gardens in Amman.

The second grant will be awarded to Al Amer Villages Social Development Society to implement a project in Al Amer Villages in Al Mujib District, designed to enhance water use efficiency and improve the soil and local environment at Al-Amer Villages, for the ultimate goal of promoting sustainable land management practices in a fragile semi-arid eco-system of the Mediterranean.  The project will promote water harvesting that will enhance efficiency of rain-water use and increase storage capacity at the household level for the purpose of providing irrigation, improving land productivity and providing additional water for domestic use.  It will also support small-size income-generating activities including bee-keeping, home gardens and livestock projects.  The project also includes a capacity-building component that will provide training for the NGO and community members in the various project management issues including the technical, financial and administrative aspects.

The signing of these agreements falls within the local community efforts supported by the GEF/SGP in Jordan ever since it started operation back in 1992.  The supported projects are in line with the strategic objectives of the GEF/SGP, which focus on achieving global environmental benefits in the areas of biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation and persistent organic pollutants, as well as the achievement of enhanced and improved livelihoods of the local communities and their capacities to manage their natural resources.