Airport International Group, a Jordanian company comprising local and international investors, has officially launched the Airport International Group Foundation (AIGF) - the executive arm of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities - at the AIGF Training Center ‘Herfati’ in Al Jizah. 

 

The event - attended by AIGF board members; Airport International Group senior management; representatives from ministries, Al Jizah municipality, the local community and Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA); and media personnel - included a presentation by AIGF Director Zahia Na’san, and a tour of the Herfati Center. 

 

AIGF was founded in 2019 to consolidate the CSR efforts of the group in three areas - youth empowerment, underprivileged community development and environment. These areas are in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and are being addressed in co-operation with several public institutions and local NGOs. 

 

Board Chairman Omar Masri said: “Since 2013, the Group has been committed to its role as a socially responsible and environmentally conscious Jordanian company that gives back to the community. As such, we are launching AIGF which seeks to systemise and scale many of the company’s philanthropic CSR efforts. 

 

"Since the establishment of AIGF, we managed to complete a number of projects, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, and we will continue to present new initiatives that will leave an even greater impact - in line with our long-term objectives.” 

 

As investment in human resources has become a royal and national priority, AIGF centred its efforts during the early phases on youth empowerment, applying an area adoption methodology to advance the social and professional development of youth in Al Jizah, the area in which QAIA is located. 

 

Through education and vocational training, AIGF aspires to contribute to lowering unemployment rates in order to prompt economic growth and promote a prosperous future for Jordan. 

 

Starting in 2019, AIGF renovated and expanded a training and rehabilitation centre and restored a football field and two schools in Al Jizah - in partnership with Al‐Maydan for Community Services. During 2020, AIGF provided 36 young women and men from communities surrounding QAIA with three vocational training programmes in mobile maintenance and hairdressing. 

 

This year, AIGF will kick off five vocational training programmes for 56  youngsters across various fields - namely tailoring, cooking, hybrid car maintenance, hairdressing and photography & videography - and offer football training for 60 children. AIGF will also hold a sustainable agriculture course for 20 beneficiaries who will be introduced to backyard fruit and vegetable gardening. 

 

Additionally, AIGF will partner with the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature - a non-profit organisation concerned with the conservation of the environment and natural resources - to plant 1,000 fruit trees for families in nearby areas.-TradeArabia News Service