1. COMMUNITY
The Memory
Initiative
Zikra Initiative is Jordan’s Ghor Al Mazra’a as one of the Kingdom’s 20
first “voluntourism” project “poverty pockets” in 2007, Zikra Initiative
founder Rabee' Zureikat — then marketing
focusing on empowering manager for one of Amman’s popular museum
the marginalized. Go’s and a regular volunteer — partook in a charity
Annisa Rochadiat explains… drive aimed at distributing aid packages among
members of the 20,000-strong community.
What started off as a traditional philanthropic
N
estled among Jordan’s below-sea-level initiative, however, morphed into an innovative,
plains and palm tree grove south of the mutually beneficial exchange between affluent
Dead Sea, Ghor Al Mazra’a, part of urbanites of Amman and the rural economically
the Karak Governorate, is an impoverished deprived residents of the Ghor. Zureikat initiated
enclave of a disaffected indigenous minority the concept of a community-based “exchange
tribe of Afro-Arabs known as the Ghawarna. tourism” by founding the Zikra Initiative.
Recognizable through their darker skin By introducing the notion of exchange,
complexion, the community has had to Zureikat redefines the traditional notion
struggle with years of high unemployment of charity and community service, tipping
rates, lack of resources, and racial prejudices, the conventional “giver-receiver” dynamic
all of which were worsened by the Ghor’s to one that is on a more equal-footing with
natural peripheral location within the Kingdom. the two communities exchanging knowledge,
As adverse as the social and economic experiences, skills, and resources. Zikra,
conditions of the community may seem, things, meaning “memory” in Arabic, is thought to
fortunately, took a turn for the better through the have rooted from the concept of reciprocity.
hands of a passionate West Amman resident. Not Essentially, the initiative aims to produce
long after the government officially declared mutually positive experiences between members
60 | MAY 2011

2. Building Communities
Zikra Initiative operates through
two flagship activities: "Exchange
Tourism" and "Development
through Arts and Culture"
Scan
Here for
WebSite
www.zikrainitiative.org
www.facebook.com/
Zikrainitiative
by "exchange tourism," young,
generally well off, residents of amman
get to visit Ghor al Mazra’a for a day
working shoulder-to-shoulder with the
local community on different projects
and activities reflecting the unique
cultural features of this agriculture-
based region.
on “Zikra bandora Day,” visitors are
taken to the valley to learn about the
community’s agriculture sector while
they are given a hands-on experience
of harvesting tomato crops throughout
the five-month season. in return,
participants get to learn the process
EDTOKNOW
NE Zikra’s
of making traditional dishes with
the freshly harvested tomatoes like
hiking trips and the galayet bandora, or tomato stew.
“Bandora Days” are Visitors also get to try their hand at
available to for only making traditional flat arabic breads,
25 JOD and 20 JOD which they get to eat along with the
respectively. Log on to stew for lunch.
their Facebook page Zikra’s other activity branch,
of rural and urban communities through for details. "Development through arts and
facilitating various group activities ranging culture," is aimed at fostering
from hiking trips, to traditional craft-making creativity among Ghor Al Mazra’a
residents while preserving the
activities, to tomato harvesting and skill- indigenous local culture. this
development workshops. branch facilitates skill-development
Zureikat channels all the proceeds made workshops — like traditional
from the initiative’s events, trips, workshops, handicraft and visual arts production
and other happenings into microloans, which — that engage various amman-based
organizations and skillful, talented
help fund local entrepreneurs as they initiate urban residents, while promoting the
small community-based businesses. To date, community’s cultural identity and
over 20 families have benefited from these helping Ghor al Mazra’a residents
microloans and now have sustainable incomes. better manage their cultural resources.
Zikra Initiative has also helped put two young
community members through university.
Having succeeded in putting a previously
unknown community on the national and global
Galayet Preparation:
1. Cut the stew meat into half-inch
tourism map, Zureikat hopes to replicate the Bandora cubes (if applicable).
Try this at home! 2. Season it with cumin and paprika.
Zikra model in other impoverished villages
Recipe
Ingredients: 3. In a saucepan, heat olive oil to
not only throughout Jordan, but also across the 1/2 kg of beef or lamb medium high.
Middle East and North Africa. You too can be stew meat (optional) 4. Brown meat in olive oil, and then
a part of this exciting endeavor. Contact them 3 tbsp of olive oil add jalapeño(s) and tomatoes.
for more information on upcoming activities, or 1 tsp of cumin (to taste) 5. Lower heat to simmer, and cook
1 tsp of paprika (to taste) until meat is tender and sauce is nice
if you have a particular skill to share with the 1–2 fresh jalapeño and thick, but not dried out.
community, go ahead and touch base with Zikra pepper, finely chopped 6. Serve over rice, or as a dip with
to initiate a workshop. 8 tomatoes, peeled. warmed arabic bread.
MAY 2011 | 61