Success Stories
Abu Ali contributes to community-based tourism project implemented by “SHAMS”
“My family and I wanted to open our house to make it a genuine experience of a Jordanian village lifestyle, including the food, beverages, and hospitality,” says the father of 4 sons and 3 daughters. “We want to be part of true positive change.”
Abu Ali
Khader Al Zawahreh, or Abu Ali, strives to improve his family’s living conditions, while at same time, contributing to positive change in Al Jawasrah neighborhood, where he lives, in Jordan’s Southern Shunah region.
A government retiree, Abu Ali, 56, is now raising livestock and poultry at his house, which he turned into a tourist attraction, Bayt Abu Ali, with support from the Local Partnership for Tourism Development project, “SHAMS”, as part of a Jordanian village experience.
Around one year ago, SHAMS, which is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Jordan, met Abu Ali during a field survey in the region, where a project team presented partnership opportunities with the local community.
Abu Ali’s interaction and communication with the project continued. SHAMS carried out improvements to Abu Ali’s house, and provided it with equipment and traditional games, in preparation for hosting tourists from May 2022, offering them an opportunity to live a Jordanian village experience.
Bayt Abu Ali is a component of the Dar Shouneh project, a SHAMS component, at the Greening the Desert Project. SHAMS provided training for women and youths in the local community.
“I would like to see my entire area transform into a tourist attraction,” adds Abu Ali. His wife, a retired teacher, shared her husband’s ambitions, having received training from SHAMS on hosting visitors and managing facilities.
The project also trained many other people in Al Jawasrah neighborhood, hoping that they would follow in Abu Ali’s footsteps as part of the community-driven experience.
Bara’ah, one of Abu Ali’s daughters, holds a university degree in accounting, but she is still looking for a job. She received administration training from SHAMS, to enable her to work with the project.
Bayt Abu Ali was equipped to host tourist groups of 25 people, who can have Jordanian breakfast, and enjoy traditional entertainment and games, as well as heritage stories and tales. It will help Abu Ali improve his family’s living standards.
“The success and sustainability of the Jordanian village experience require partnership between the project and local community,” he advises.
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