US embassy cable - 02AMMAN4082

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004082 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR PRM/ANE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, EAID, KPAL, LE 
SUBJECT: PRM AMBASSADORS' FUND REQUEST FOR PALESTINIAN 
REFUGEES IN JORDAN 
 
REF: A. STATE 15910 
     B. JUNE 25 BARTLETT/POLASCHIK E-MAIL 
 
1.  Summary:  Ambassador requests $40,000 under the PRM 
Ambassadors' fund for refugees in the Middle East, to 
purchase a 14-passenger minibus for the Community 
Rehabilitation Center (CRC) at Baqa'a camp ($20,000) and to 
build an addition to the Women's Program Center (WPC) at 
Jebel Hussein camp ($20,000).  The minibus purchase would 
allow Baqa'a camp's CRC to shuttle 215 disabled students from 
their homes to the center, and to bring therapists to 
homebound disabled children.  Both the GOJ's Department of 
Palestinian Affairs and UNRWA have identified support for 
disabled programs as one of the greatest needs in the refugee 
community.  PRM support for an addition to Jebel Hussein 
camp's WPC would allow the center to serve an additional 100 
vocational trainees per month, provide additional 
revenue-generating programs and further overall USG refugee 
goals of strengthening women's programs.  Both projects would 
respond to critical gaps in refugee assistance programs.  We 
are submitting two funding requests based on PRM's indication 
(ref b) that up to $40,000 may be available for projects in 
Jordan.  If only $20,000 is available, our first priority is 
the minibus for Baqa'a camp's CRC.  End summary. 
 
A Bus for Disabled Children 
--------------------------- 
 
2.  In separate meetings with refcoord, both the GOJ's 
Department of Palestinian Affairs and UNRWA relief officials 
identified support for disabled programs as one of the 
greatest needs in Jordan's refugee community.  UNRWA provides 
assistance to disabled Palestinian refugees through Jordan's 
10 Community Rehabilitation Centers (CRC) -- independent, 
community-based organizations that are severely underfunded. 
Although UNRWA provides financial and technical support to 
the CRCs in Jordan (an average of $12,500 per center per 
year), this is not enough to cover the centers' running 
costs, much less major purchases.  In addition to UNRWA 
support, the CRC in Baqa'a camp (established in 1998 with 
significant support from PRM) receives rental income from 
commercial properties it owns in the camp, as well as income 
from the nominal fees paid by families who benefit from its 
services.  The center relies heavily on contributions from 
international NGOs and local embassies.  The center is 
managed by an active, voluntary board and well-qualified 
professional staff.  With technical support from UNRWA, it 
also has strong financial management procedures in place. 
 
3.  PRM funding is requested to purchase a minibus for the 
center, to shuttle to and from the center the 215 disabled 
children it serves, and to bring therapists to homebound 
disabled children -- a new program that can be implemented 
only with a new bus.  The center currently provides services 
for the hearing-impaired; speech therapy; physiotherapy; 
primary education for the mentally impaired; and family 
counseling services. 
 
4.  Baqa'a camp's CRC would implement the program, purchasing 
the bus from a local vendor as soon as funding is available. 
The GOJ's Department of Palestinian Affairs, which identified 
this project to refcoord, has indicated it will facilitate a 
tax-exempt purchase and vehicle registration.  The sole cost 
of the project is the $20,000 purchase price, which reflects 
local market value for a 14-passenger minibus.  Refcoord 
would monitor the project. 
 
5.  Support for this key disabled assistance program is the 
Ambassador's first funding priority. 
 
Expanded Programs for Refugee Women 
----------------------------------- 
 
6.  Jordan's 27 women's program centers (WPC) provide 
vocational training, daycare, fitness and education programs 
to Palestinian refugee women.  Although they receive some 
financial and technical support from UNRWA (an average of 
$8,000 per center per year), these independent, 
community-based organizations do not have enough resources to 
cover capital improvements.  The centers' programs typically 
are self-sustaining, financed by the fees charged to course 
participants and daycare clients.  Support for the WPCs would 
further overall USG refugee goals of strengthening women's 
programs. 
 
7.  The WPC in Jebel Hussein camp was established in 1987, 
with significant support from UNRWA.  It currently provides 
vocational training (sewing, computer and hairdressing 
courses), daycare and fitness program to 220 women per month. 
 It also runs a groundbreaking legal aid bureau (one of only 
two in Jordan), where Palestinian refugee women can seek 
specific legal advice and also attend workshops and seminars 
on more general legal issues.  The center is governed by a 
dynamic, voluntary board of 7 women, with strong 
organizational skills, and has stringent management and 
financial controls. 
 
8.  PRM funding is requested to build a 107 square meter 
addition to the existing Jebel Hussein WPC building, which 
would enable the center to expand its programs significantly 
and serve an additional 100 trainees per month.  (All 
training currently takes place in a cramped library and two 
classrooms.)  The addition also would include space for a 
small canteen, which would provide the center with another 
source of income.  The women's committee will provide $6,740 
of its own funds toward construction costs.  A contribution 
of $20,000 is requested to cover the remaining construction 
costs. A budget breakdown reflecting both the USG 
contribution and the Women,s Committee contribution is as 
follows: 
 
Project Costs 
Design Plans                        $   350 
Site Supervision              $ 2,120 
External Construction         $11,300 
Internal finishing                  $10,850 
Inflation & contingencies     $ 2,120 
Total Cost                    $26,470 
 
Women,s Program Center (WPC) Contribution 
Design Plan                   $   350 
Site Supervision              $ 2,210 
Internal Finishing            $ 1,880 
Inflation & Contingencies     $ 2,120 
Total                         $ 6,470 
 
USG Contribution 
External Contribution        $11,300 
Internal Finishing           $ 8,700 
Total                        $20,000 
 
9.  Jebel Hussein Camp's WPC would implement the project, 
including contracting and supervision of all construction 
services.  Refcoord would monitor the project. 
 
Administrative Note 
------------------- 
 
10.  Post has the authority and procedures in place to 
transfer these funds to the intended recipient agencies. 
 
 
Gnehm