Under the Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, Save the Children celebrated the completion of the first phase of NAJAH – Youth Training and Employment in Jordan Program with youth and partners from all sectors.
The event, which took place at Al Hussein Youth City, brought together five hundred NAJAH youth graduates, parents, community leaders, representatives from the private sector as well as decision makers and government officials under one roof to exchange experiences and celebrate the success stories of the youth.
The celebration was preceded by a workshop that discussed four main work-related issues that included the definition of work from the youth’s point of view, the role of parents in formulating the idea of work in the minds of their children, available job opportunities in the Jordanian market, and the challenges the youth face in the labor market. The outcomes of this workshop were handed to decision makers as recommendations to be taken into consideration in future planning, especially for youth development.
This celebration reflects a real and practical partnership between non-governmental organizations and the private sector, through the partnership between Save the Children and Abdali PSC, which supported four NAJAH Journeys in the central region over the past year. Jamal Itani, Chief Executive Officer of Abdali Psc commented: “This day is proof that a true partnership between different sectors results in what we see here today; true success! When we talk about development we do not mean construction only, but skilled partners as well. Economic development cannot become a reality without being joined by a sustainable social development model…”
On the other hand, Richard Mawer, Country Director of Save the Children in Jordan, stressed the importance of investing in the youth sector, especially with almost 70% of the population in Jordan being under the age of 30. “The investment in people is the most sustainable type of investment. We at Save the Children design our programs to respond to the needs of the local communities, and we implement those programs in partnership with different sectors. We work with our partners to create a positive, real and lasting change, and we believe youth are the key to the future. ”
Launched in October 2005 under the patronage of Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al Abdullah, NAJAH (“Success” in Arabic) trains and empowers Jordanian youth aged 18-24 on life and work skills to enhance their potential to enter the labor market and benefit from available job opportunities, strengthening the participation of youth in social and economic development.
The NAJAH - Youth Training and Employment in Jordan Program is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and is being implemented by Save the Children in partnership with the private sector, communities, government and non-government agencies.
