Empowering Local Communities & CBOs

BDC works across all Jordanian governorates, with a focus on poverty pockets and hard-to-reach areas, to foster local economic development, strengthen livelihoods, and expand sustainable employability and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Over the years, BDC has developed community-led empowerment and development models by working closely with local stakeholders, including community-based organizations (CBOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), and municipalities. Through participatory consultations and needs assessments, BDC designs and delivers targeted capacity building and technical support that strengthens partners’ institutional capacity and enhances the quality of services they provide to their communities.

In response to the economic impact of COVID-19, BDC scaled up its support to CBOs as a practical model for local economic recovery. BDC is supporting 54 local CBOs and more than 14,000 families in remote areas of Jordan to sustain and strengthen income-generating activities through direct financial support and the provision of equipment and raw materials.

Key Projects

Azem (Self-Employment and Resilience Program in Jordan) 2020-2026:

UNICEF-supported It is an economic support project for self-employment, implemented mainly in southern Jordan with a focus on the hardest-to-reach and remote areas. The project supports CBOs and women/youth-led SMEs and home-based businesses through mapping, selection, training, in-kind support, mentorship, and follow-up.

Livelihoods and Employment Program – South Jordan

(Promoting access to income and employment for vulnerable populations in the governorates of Karak, Tafilah, Ma’an, and Aqaba through increased employment opportunities and improved vocational training)(AICS/ICU) 2018-2019: the project was funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (ICU), this project aimed to reduce the economic and social impact of the Syrian crisis in Jordan by supporting sustainable livelihood opportunities for refugees and host communities through improved access to income and employment.

Capacity Building and Technical Support to Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) 2016-2017:

the project implemented by BDC and funded through UNDP with support from the Government of Japan, the Government of Kuwait, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, this training program strengthened local CBO capacity in Irbid, Mafraq, and Zarqa. The project aimed to enhance social cohesion by supporting area-based, community-driven initiatives and improving CBO performance and effectiveness as local actors in sustainable development.

Supporting Women-Led CBOs for Modeling Social Enterprises 2021-2022:

UNICEF funded project aimed to develop local tourism initiatives by engaging women and young women (18-24 years old) to strengthening the management and production capacity of local CBOs and building participants’ ability to develop local initiatives into sustainable, revenue-generating social enterprises, including service provision and local product supply.