Jordan

Since 2008, ACTED has become a key actor in Jordan, promoting the humanitarian development nexus. In close partnership with target population and key stakeholders, including local governance bodies, civil society organisations and inter-agency working groups, ACTED’s integrated response contributes to meeting the basic needs of vulnerable populations, while promoting sustainable development in livelihoods, infrastructure, environmental protection, institutional capacity and social cohesion.

ACTED also promotes circular economy models to create positive social, environmental and economic impact throughout its programmatic strategies in Jordan. To this end, ACTED aims to accelerate waste reduction, reuse and regeneration of natural systems, while also creating inclusive and low carbon economic opportunities.

General: ACTED in Jordan is committed to achieving a world with Zero Carbon, Zero Poverty and Zero Exclusion, in line with ACTED Global 3Zero Programmatic Strategy (2020-2025). Throughout all its programmes, ACTED promotes inclusive and low-carbon solutions to environmental and poverty challenges. For example, ACTED contributes to sustainable infrastructural development while creating income opportunities through the construction of a stormwater drainage network in Za’atari Refugee Camp, as well as rehabilitating and greening communal spaces, such as local parks in East Amman. In addition, to strengthen waste management, ACTED has supported expansion of municipal waste sorting infrastructure, while also increasing community awareness and community-driven solutions on the importance of recycling and reducing waste. Throughout these initiatives, ACTED ensures equal access and joint engagement between Syrians and vulnerable Jordanians to promote social cohesion within local communities.

THRIVE: Under ACTED’s PRM-funded project, ACTED will promote sustainable livelihoods of vulnerable Jordanian and Syrian households through integrated farming as an economic recovery mechanism in central and northern Jordan. This will be achieved by adapting ACTED’s flagship initiative, THRIVE: Towards Holistic Resilience in Vulnerable Environments. THRIVE is an integrated ecosystem approach that serves as a framework for long-term rural community resilience, particularly for (agro) pastoral regions that addresses the linkages between ecosystems, livelihoods and markets. ACTED will utilise techniques under THRIVE to design an adaptive, needs-based approach to livelihood development, income diversification and food security by leveraging local ecosystems, nature-based solutions, market viabilities and post-harvest techniques.

GOCA: Under the EU-funded “Jordan Guardians Project”, ACTED is supporting national and grassroots level civil society organizations to become agents of governance and sustainable development in the environment and education sectors. A key component of this project is improving the operational and institutional capacity of the two implementing partners, Phenix Centre for Sustainable Development and Jordan Environmental Union, as well as an additional 14 Jordanian civil society organizations. To achieve this, ACTED is utilizing its global Grassroots Organizational Capacity Assessment (GOCA) tool, to improve their processes in the following areas: Governance and Administration, Financial Management, Organizational Management, Project Cycle Management and External Relations and Resource Mobilization. Through their capacity development, ACTED will contribute to enhancing the role and expertise of civil society in policy dialogue and advocacy.

Circular Economy Assessment: To understand the market potential and investment opportunities for the promotion of circular economy approaches in Jordan, ACTED conducted a nation-wide circular economy assessment in 2021, funded by the European Union, through the EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian crisis, the EU Madad Fund and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Specifically, the assessment analyzed private, public and informal actors within five material value chains, municipal solid waste management and opportunities for private sector engagement. Within these areas, ACTED explored the potential for social and environmental gains of existing operations, as well as opportunities with economic models to enhance transition from traditional linear to circular models. The findings and recommendations identified from the assessment will be integrated throughout ACTED’s ongoing projects and future programmes to reduce materials waste while boosting employment and economic growth.     

In addition, ACTED, funded by UNEP and in partnership with ACTED’s sister organization, IMPACT Initiatives, is conducting a second Circular Economy Assessment, specifically on the humanitarian sector. The assessment aims to map humanitarian actions in Jordan that integrate elements of circular economy models. The assessment will also provide a toolkit for humanitarian stakeholders to self-assess and adapt their programmes to shift towards more circular approaches.