Dar Ne’meh, a restaurant and gift shop near downtown Amman, is one of PTI’s selling outlets that we were able to visit throughout the summer.
Author: Karlie Barnett | Majors: Political Science and History | Semester: Summer 2022
Loud honking, masses of moving cars, yelling in Arabic: all of these sensations met me as I made my journey into the city center of Amman, Jordan. I was, frankly, overwhelmed, but also excited for what was to come next. I was in Amman for the School for International Training’s Counseling and Humanitarian Action Internship program, which pairs students with local humanitarian aid agencies to learn the principles of humanitarian action through real-world experience.
However, before I could begin this internship, I had to meet the host family I would be staying with, as well as the rest of the students in the program. Since this study abroad program was administered by an external provider, I did not know anyone coming in, and I also had no idea who my host family would be. Despite this uncertainty, I soon found that I had nothing to worry about. My host family ended up being one of the best parts of my experience: an elderly couple who made me feel immediately welcomed and accepted as a member of their own family. The students that were to work alongside me in the program were also amazing, coming from all over the country with different interests, passions, and reasons for choosing the program. It was with them that I was able to explore Jordan’s rich cultural history, visiting the stunning locations of Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea.
After these excursions, I was finally able to begin my internship. I was ecstatic to find out I had been paired with the Princess Taghrid Institute for Development and Training (PTI), a result of my interest in humanitarian work that specifically benefited women. This organization is a local NGO in Amman with the primary mission of providing services that address the needs of underprivileged women, including both local Jordanian and refugee populations. I knew PTI did important and innovative work, and I was excited to get the chance to learn and help with that work first-hand.
At PTI, I was assigned to help write a grant proposal to the International Labor Organization concerning the implementation of economic empowerment projects for women in rural Jordan. Initially, the idea of helping with a grant proposal was intimidating to me, especially as I had little knowledge of what the process involved, but it ended up being an incredibly enriching experience. While writing the grant, I learned so much about the content of PTI’s projects. These projects are catered to the needs of each specific community, with topics ranging from embroidery & crochet to food processing. They also emphasize sustainability as they link women to employment opportunities, allowing them to use what they’ve learned to earn an income for themselves and their families. In implementing these projects, PTI works towards reducing both gender and socioeconomic inequalities in Jordan, benefitting the country as a whole. Our intern group was also able to visit PTI’s centers outside of Amman where these projects took place, as well as the various selling outlets that served to connect the products of these women to customers. And, after lots of research and editing, we were able to finish the grant proposal and are now just waiting on approval from the ILO (fingers crossed!).
If I could describe my summer in Amman in one word, it would be unforgettable. My time at PTI truly taught me so much. I was able to learn about the various types of humanitarian aid, and see how organizations collaborate to effect change. I learned the importance of a community-based approach where projects are founded upon the needs of that community, and members of that community have a right to be involved in project decisions and implementation. This approach avoids imposing an outside view and external actors on a situation, instead ensuring effectiveness by empowering individuals to contribute to the development of their own community. On a personal note, the other students in my program, my host family, and every single person I met in Amman impacted me greatly, and I will never forget their kindness and warmth. I am incredibly grateful I got the opportunity to learn from this organization and contribute to their work for my short time in Jordan.