MEDA Publications

The JVL project has been implementing market systems programming using both private sector and civil society partners. This technical paper explores the value of working with value chain actors who occupy different positions within a particular sector or value chain. Using the knowledge and lessons learned from the project’s partnership with Environmental Laboratory, a private Jordanian food inspection firm, this paper contributes to the growing literature and practitioner information on approaches to Lead Firm engagement for development impact.

The 4th edition of our newsletter that includes the latest news from the Jordan Valley Links project.

In May 2020, MEDA conducted a rapid assessment to determine the impacts of COVID-19 on the operations of micro-businesses in the food processing sector and on gender relations for these women entrepreneurs.

The JVL project has been implementing business plan competitions since September 2017. This summary document is an overview of the project’s business plan competition; a more comprehensive learning document is currently being produced that will build on the lessons and experiences of applicants, implementing partners, and JVL staff.

The JVL project has been implementing gender progress markers since January 2019. This overview adds to a series of documents already available on gender progress markers, including a technical brief (June 2019) and Implementation Manual (June 2020), both of which are already on the project’s publications web page.

In May 2020, MEDA conducted a rapid assessment to determine the impacts of COVID-19 on the operations of Savings and Loan Groups and gender equality.

In March 2020, MEDA conducted a rapid assessment to understand the impacts of COVID-19 on gender relations and business operations for women entrepreneurs in the Jordan Valley.

This learning document outlines how MEDA’s Jordan Valley Links (JVL) project shifted from traditional data collection approaches and analysis, such as paper-based forms and excel tables, to an automated data management system. Peer organizations can gain insights from JVL’s experience on customizing a business-oriented Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system for NGO programming.

MEDA’s Jordan Valley Links project supports women and youth entrepreneurs to start and build their businesses.  Jordan’s economy is dominated by the public sector, presenting challenges to JVL’s market-led approach.  This paper outlines reasons behind Jordan’s strong preference for public sector employment and discusses implications for programming.

MEDA piloted Gender Progress Markers (GPM) in Jordan to measure women’s economic empowerment. GPM are a set of statements, describing a progression of changed behaviors for a target group of people, that monitor and measure the project’s strategy for women’s economic empowerment. This manual follows a technical brief developed in June 2019 and is meant to be a resource of information and guidance for MEDA and external organizations on: 

• How to use gender progress markers (GPM) within a gender strategy.
• How to monitor projects to ensure inclusive programming.
• How to evaluate a project’s progress toward gender and behaviour change.

This technical brief gives an overview of how Savings and Loan Groups (SLGs) are implemented on the Jordan Valley Links project. This document is part of the JVL Learning Agenda series.

In Jordan, MEDA partners with the National Association for Family and Empowerment (NAFE), a local non-profit organization that provides financial literacy, business skills training and facilitates savings and loan groups. To support these activities, NAFE established a community theatre group using drama to promote gender equality and economic empowerment for women and youth.

Now available: The 2nd edition of our newsletter that includes the latest news from the Jordan Valley Links project.

Now available: The 1st edition of our newsletter that includes the latest news from the Jordan Valley Links project.

A key question confronting funders and implementers is how to measure Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE). This technical brief presents guidance and learnings on how a project can collect behavior change data and monitor women’s economic empowerment projects.

Jordan Valley Links (JVL) is a five-year project (2016-2021), implemented with the generous support of Global Affairs Canada. The ultimate outcome of the project is to increase the contribution by women and youth to Jordan’s economic growth. JVL is supporting women and youth in the Jordan Valley in seizing new opportunities in targeted sectors, and ultimately to become strong economic actors.

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and MEDA are supporting 25,000 women and youth entrepreneurs in the Jordan Valley to identify
new livelihood opportunities, build their businesses and connect to higher-value markets.

Over five years (2016-2021), the project will focus on the food processing, tourism and clean technology sectors. Women and youth entrepreneurs in these sectors will be connected to private sector actors and service providers with the goal of strengthening the contribution of women and youth to Jordan’s economy and building a more sustainable and inclusive market system in the Jordan valley.

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الشؤون العالمیة في كندا ومیدا

تقوم ((الشؤون العالمیة في كندا)) ومیدا بدعم 25 ألف
سیدة ورواد أعمال شباب في وادي الأردن لیتمكنوا من
تحدید فرص جدیدة لتأمین الرزق، وبناء أعمالھم، وأیضاً
التمكن من الوصول لأسواق ذات قیمة أعلى.

وعلى مدى خمسة سنوات (2016-2021) سیركز
المشروع على كل من القطاعات التالیة: صناعة الأغذیة،
السیاحة، والتكنولوجیا النظیفة.

كما سیتم ربط كل من رواد الأعمال الشباب والسیدات
من رائدات الأعمال في ھذه القطاعات مع الفاعلین من
القطاع الخاص ومزودي الخدمات في جمیع ھذه
المجالات وذلك بھدف تقویة إسھام النساء والشباب في
الإقتصاد الأردني وبناء نظام سوق أكثر شمولیة
وإستدامة في منطقة وادي الأردن.

Through the Jordan Valley Links project, MEDA will work to support primarily women and youth entrepreneurs in food processing, tourism, and clean technology sectors. Through access to training, market information, inputs and support services, business education and linkages to better markets, entrepreneurs will benefit from higher productivity, increased incomes and means, and ultimately contribute to Jordan’s economic growth.