Amman, Sept. 10 (Petra) -- The National Aid Fund (NAF) and the Belgian Agency for International Cooperation, ENABEL, signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday aimed at expanding vocational and technical education and employment opportunities and economically empowering NAF beneficiaries, as part of a broader push to invest in human capital and support the shift from aid dependency to self-reliance.
NAF Director General Khitam Shinikat signed the memorandum on behalf of the fund, while ENABEL Country Director Heidi De Pauw signed for the agency.
Shinikat said the memorandum reflects NAF's strategy of investing in beneficiaries' human capital by expanding access to vocational and technical training, developing skills aligned with labor market needs, and strengthening opportunities for employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship.
She added that economic empowerment goes beyond providing support, requiring the development of individuals' capabilities and readiness to enter the labor market in ways that build self-reliance and enable a gradual shift from receiving assistance to production and economic participation.
For her part, De Pauw stressed the importance of the partnership with NAF in implementing vocational and technical education programs and related employment initiatives, saying they would help develop beneficiaries' skills, improve their labor market readiness, and connect them with employment and entrepreneurship opportunities within available resources.
Under the memorandum, the two sides will cooperate to support access for targeted students and youth to vocational and technical education and training programs, and to strengthen beneficiaries' readiness and participation in training and employment initiatives.
The agreement is part of NAF's ongoing efforts to advance economic empowerment, invest in human capital, and expand partnerships with international organizations, opening new pathways for beneficiaries to learn, train, and find work and build a more stable and independent future.
//Petra// NQ
