INITIATIVES AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS Zikra Initiative

The “Zikra” initiative was established in 2007 in Ghor Al Mazra’a by Rabie Zurikat and their slogan is “exchange to change”. It attempts to eliminate the equation of “hero and victim” and replace it with a more just equation between the countryside and the city by highlighting the richness of “marginalized” communities in terms of life knowledge that enjoys sustainability, productivity, and the exploitation of local resources , strong social ties and others to create economic and cultural projects inspired by these local knowledge and resources, which are in danger of disappearing under the pretext of “evolution”. [1]

The initiative sought to achieve this goal through a multi-modal methodology that includes volunteer tourism, a micro-credit program, training in various skills and leadership styles, as well as technical workshops. [2]

The “Zikra” ideology is centred on the elimination of economic and social disparities through initiatives in which members of disadvantaged and urban areas trade skills and resources. The project focuses on a range of initiatives, including workshops for cultural and creative expression, modest loans, volunteer exchange tourism, and skills development. [1]

Through the exchange tourism program, locals, particularly women, interact with volunteers, local tourists, international tourists, and school and university students who discover the “Ghorani” way of life while on excursions arranged by association members for a fee of 25-30 JDs. [3] The workshops introduce visitors to traditional handicrafts like wool spinning, dairy industry, fringing the “Shemagh”, which is a traditional craft for weaving the long fringes of the

[1] https://www.naua.org/ngo/-40ىركذ-ةردابم

[2] https://alghad.com/?p=481109

[3] https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000265393_ara headdress worn by men, as well as traditional activities like participating in tomato picking, preparing traditional dishes, and touring the region.

The proceeds are used to provide small, interest-free loans that assist the residents across a range of industries. [4] The people’s income has increased as a result of this reciprocal tourism, and some families have even developed minor initiatives with the help of loans, including keeping bees and chickens and putting up ovens to make traditional bread and pastries. [1]