Nadi Al Sibaq Park is located in Al Nasser district, one of the most populated districts in Amman. Despite its dense population, before Acted's intervention the area lacked essential elements, such as seating areas and trees and required rehabilitation to become a safer and more accessible place for the local community to gather and play.
Pre-existing infrastructure in the park before Acted intervention in 2022.
New infrastructures and walls in the park after Acted intervention in 2023
Enhanced park infrastructure after intervention with a safe area for girls close to the door and with seats and mosaic-covered tables, as per the community requests during the consultation.
Understanding and responding to beneficiaries' needs
After analyzing needs through co-design meetings with the local community in April and May 2022, Acted prioritized rehabilitating the playground for kids, repairing the damaged floor and gates, improving lighting poles for safety, as well as creating gathering areas and green spaces by planting trees.
Co-design meeting with women of the community in April 2022
"As the one who conducted the co-design sessions with the local community, I found all of them looking forward to meeting their needs and desires, from girls who wished for more comfort and privacy in their own area, to kids who were happy to have bigger play areas, and women who used to sit on the floor waiting for their children to finish playing. It was wonderful to see the transformation of dreams into a tangible and lived reality." Sabaa, architect engineer of the project
Creating work opportunities
Through the intervention, Acted created 43 short-term job opportunities to both Syrians refugees and vulnerable Jordanians. They were also supported with trainings, capacity building, post-employment counselling, and team-building events were carried out to foster social cohesion among workers.
Workers planting trees during a youth engagement planting event on March 22nd 2022.
Rehabilitation of the walls
Acted rehabilitated an old wall between the park and the Mosque by implementing new supporting walls and covering it with a mosaic done by trained workers on a side, and drawings painted by the kids’ community on the other side.
Walls before Acted’s intervention in 2022.
Walls after Acted’s intervention in 2023
Creating new sport infrastructure and gathering areas
Acted rehabilitated an empty area next to the football field to construct a basketball field and a bazaar area with seats and tables for social gathering.
Empty area next to the football field before Acted’s intervention, 2022.
Area next to the football field with new basketball field and a bazaar area after Acted’s intervention, 2023.
Rehabilitation of the kids’ playing area
Acted rehabilitated and enlarged the kids’ playing area and installed additional recreational equipment for all age groups visiting the park, ensuring their accessibility.
Kids playing area after Acted’s intervention, 2023.
Planting trees and plants
During the rehabilitation work in Nadi Al Sibaq Park, 76 trees and 1,011 plants were planted.
Youth community engagement planting event reuniting around 100 youth and students from the school located near the park, March 22nd 2022.
Finally, Acted conducted community mobilization activities to ensure community ownership after the end of the project and handed over the management of the park to the Great Amman Municipality.
Bazar event hold in new rehabilitated area during handover ceremony on October 2nd, 2023
Handover ceremony of the park to the Municipality of Greater Amman held on 2nd October, 2023
Interviews
As the Architect Engineer, Sabaa was involved in every step of the project from its very beginning. Her role involved studying sites before engaging the local community, addressing their needs and suggestions through co-design sessions and transforming ideas into a practical and appealing design. She monitored the construction process to ensure proper implementation until Acted could finally hand over the park management to both the municipality and the community.
"One of the distinctive elements of the project is the inclusion of women and men of both Jordanian and Syrian nationalities, from different cultural backgrounds and age groups. It was beautiful to see the harmony and chemistry between everyone, we have formed wonderful friendships that extend to this day through frequent visits and calls with them, they are friendships I am proud of.”
Sabaa planting tree during a youth community engagement planting event on March 22nd 2022.
Mariam is a cash-for-worker who took a mosaic course and contributed to rehabilitating the park through a mosaic-covered wall and tables. She later trained other girls and started a home-based business with her family’s help, selling mosaic paintings and various handicrafts. Mariam now shares and promotes her creations on social media, and is actively taking part in bazaars and exhibitions.
"Mosaic has changed my life. Since completing the course with Acted, I have been working on self-development and using my skills to raise the standard of living for me and my family. It is wonderful to visit the park and see the works that I and my colleagues, also trained during the course, contributed to decorating.”
Mariam showcasing and selling her mosaic paintings during a bazaar held in the new park’s infrastructure during the handover ceremony on October 2nd, 2023
*Her name has been changed to protect privacy.