10-10-2025 | di COOPI

Fostering Public-Private Partnerships at the High Dreams Market – Connecting the Dots Event in Amman

Fostering Public-Private Partnerships at the High Dreams Market – Connecting the Dots Event

As part of the Bothoor Project’s commitment to inclusive economic empowerment, COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale, with the support of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), hosted the High Dreams Market – Connecting the Dots event on August 21, 2025 in Amman, Jordan. More than just a marketplace, the event served as a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and strategic networking among key stakeholders working to improve livelihoods for vulnerable Jordanians and refugees.

The day featured two dynamic panel discussions that brought together government representatives, INGOs, private sector leaders, and community organizations to explore pathways for employment and self-employment. These conversations underscored the importance of cross-sector collaboration in building sustainable futures.

The first panel turned the spotlight on self-employment and entrepreneurship as viable and empowering livelihood solutions. It explored how entrepreneurship ecosystems can thrive when private sector linkages, market access, and community-based support are aligned.

Rabie Jammalieh, Entrepreneurship Project Manager at Orange Jordan, offered a clear distinction between incubators and accelerators, and showcased Orange’s efforts to build inclusive entrepreneurship programs that reach underserved communities. Laith Doekat, entrepreneur and founder of Rawabi Farah, shared his personal journey of launching and growing a business, highlighting the importance of branding, resilience, and leveraging networks to expand market access. Taqi Edeen from ARCS reflected on the challenges INGOs face in engaging the private sector and emphasized the transformative potential of these partnerships in scaling impact.

This panel reaffirmed that entrepreneurship is not just about innovation—it’s about access, equity, and sustainability. When small businesses are supported with the right tools and connections, they become engines of growth and resilience within their communities.

Creating Inclusive Employment Opportunities

The second panel focused on the role of the private sector in creating inclusive job opportunities, particularly for youth, women, and persons with disabilities. Panelists shared practical insights and experiences that highlighted both the challenges and the potential of inclusive hiring practices.

Sally Abu Ali, founder and Ceo of Aman Consulting and the Arab Single Moms Network, spoke about labor market gaps and the need for tailored support systems that empower women - especially single mothers - to build sustainable careers. Rawan Hijazi, Corporate Engagement Manager at EFE-Jordan, emphasized the importance of aligning training programs with market demands and how private sector engagement is key to bridging employment gaps. Tasneem Hussein, representing Mawared Association, illustrated how community-based organizations play a vital role in preparing vulnerable groups for employment and connecting them to meaningful opportunities.

The panelists collectively stressed that true inclusivity must go beyond physical accessibility. It requires embedding inclusive values into institutional culture, policies, and workplace environments. They called for a broader understanding of disability and a commitment to addressing diverse needs through systemic change.

Connecting the Dots for Sustainable Futures

Throughout the event, one message rang clear: addressing unemployment and underemployment requires collective action. Governments, humanitarian actors, and private sector stakeholders must work hand in hand to create decent job opportunities, foster self-employment, and ensure inclusivity for all - especially women and persons with disabilities. The High Dreams Market has evolved into more than a venue for showcasing products. It is now a space where aspirations meet opportunity, where dialogue sparks innovation, and where vulnerable communities can begin to transform their dreams into tangible, sustainable futures.

Since 2017, COOPI has operated in Jordan, primarily in the governorates of Amman, Irbid, Zarqa, and Karak, recently expanding its reach to Ajloun, Jerash, Madaba, and Mafraq. In response to the massive influx of Syrian refugees and the resulting economic and social pressures, COOPI promotes social cohesion and resilience through multisectoral projects that combine child protection, education and gender-based violence prevention with economic development, entrepreneurship and psychosocial support, especially for women and vulnerable groups.