Amman, May 13 (Petra) – The National Aid Fund, the Vocational Training Corporation (VTC), and the Shuaa Alamal Charity for Persons with Disabilities on Wednesday signed a cooperation agreement aimed at empowering persons with disabilities and integrating them into sustainable income-generating projects.

The agreement was signed by National Aid Fund Director General Khitam Shneikat, VTC Director General Raafat Sawafin, and Shuaa Alamal Charity President Omar Jarrah.

Minister of Social Development and Chairperson of the National Aid Fund Board, Wafaa Bani Mustafa, said the initiative reflects national efforts to enhance economic empowerment for persons with disabilities, in line with Royal directives to provide comprehensive support and enable their participation in development.

She said the agreement builds on ongoing programs to strengthen partnerships between government institutions and civil society organizations, particularly in supporting vulnerable groups through skills development and economic inclusion initiatives.

She underlined the importance of vocational training and rehabilitation in equipping persons with disabilities with the skills required to establish and manage productive projects, achieve self-employment, and integrate into the labour market, thereby supporting their independence and improving living standards.

Bani Mustafa noted that the agreement includes the establishment of a hydroponic greenhouse at the New Hope Center in Ruseifa, which will serve as the first project under the agreement and will be managed by trained persons with disabilities.

She commended cooperation among the participating institutions, describing it as an integrated model of partnership between government entities and the voluntary sector in delivering training, rehabilitation, and empowerment programmes.

She also noted that last year’s cooperation led to the graduation of a group of children with disabilities from a specialized hydroponics training course at the Ruseifa Vocational Training Center.

Minister of Labor and Chairperson of the VTC Board, Khaled Bakkar, underlined the importance of economic and social empowerment of persons with disabilities, and the provision of sustainable livelihood opportunities that enhance self-reliance and quality of life.

He added that the VTC is providing technical and training expertise to ensure the project's success, stressing that vocational training is a key pillar of sustainable development and economic empowerment.

Bakkar said the agreement integrates training, qualification, and social support services to enable beneficiaries to become productive members of society, adding that the VTC seeks to expand similar initiatives across the Kingdom due to their developmental impact.

//Petra// AJ

13/05/2026 14:30:15