Ruwwad Al Tanmeya NGO celebrates four years in Tafileh

TAFILEH — Residents of Tafileh held activities and welcomed visitors on Saturday to celebrate four years of local community service and empowerment in the area by the Ruwwad Al Tanmeya organisation. 

In Muath Kasabeh Park, residents of Tafileh, some 180km southwest of Amman, welcomed guests from Amman and introduced them to the governorate's villages.

“We chose this park because of its views which show three-quarters of Tafileh,” said Samar Dudin, the regional director and head of programmes at Ruwwad Al Tanmeya, a non-profit organisation.

Salma Mughrabi, the founder of the NGO Ruyana which supports Ruwwad Al Tanmeya, shared her experience of working in Tafileh. 

“I came to Tafileh on a business trip, I loved the nature and the kindness of its people, and this led me to think about how I could improve the place,” Mughrabi said. 

“Ruyana is working to raise awareness about the danger of drugs among school students and families in Tafileh,” she said. 

Ruwwad Al Tanmeya also organised discussions about youth unemployment in Tafileh, and the importance of improving young people’s skills so they can start their own projects, as well as the need to attract investment to the area. 

A grandfather from Tafileh commented on the high unemployment in the governorate. 

“I am an illiterate man, these [unemployment figures] are for educated people, but what I understand is the pain I feel when I see my children and grandchildren deprived of the blessings of life,” he said.

Ruwwad Al Tamneya, founded in 2005, supports young people across the region, and in return, they do community service in their neighbourhoods.

It works in the areas of child development, youth organising and community support in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Palestine.

It started work in Tafileh in 2012 with a scholarship fund which has since supported 119 students. Eight summer camps have been held at a centre established by the organisation which features a children’s library offering 1,700 books. 

In return, residents of Tafileh have completed 10,400 hours of community service.

Areen Durgham received a scholarship from the organisation and said it had helped boost her confidence.

“I used to be anti-social, and I faced difficulties in dealing with people, but now I am a stronger person because of the personality building and business entrepreneurship workshops, and panel discussions that the NGO's centre conducts weekly.”