The global economy is still trying to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting high inflation is taking a toll on most Jordanian families. To help each other as one community, the Jordanian YES alumni organized their ninth iteration of the Inkush Beitak project—this year in the Zarqa governorate in collaboration with the Nesmet AlHaya charity.

Inkush Beitak, or “Pick Your House”, is an annual project where the YES alumni in Jordan collect donated clothing, shoes, and toys to distribute to families in need through a bazaar-style event. On May 20, 11 YES alumni and 12 non-YES supporters met at Amideast in Amman to sort and categorize over 2,000 donated items. The volunteers put the items into boxes and bags and labeled them by age group to help distribute them at the bazaar.

The following day, the volunteers put the sorted donations on buses and headed to Zarqa. The event took place at the Nesmet AlHaya charity hall, where donations were displayed so beneficiaries could “shop” by selecting free items as if they were at a market. YES alumni and volunteers helped nearly 100 families select the goods they needed most.

The families who participated were not the only ones to benefit, the YES alumni and volunteers also gained from the event. Hala Al Faris explains, “Working on YES volunteer projects is an enriching and fulfilling experience. I was especially excited for this one because people from the community reached out for us to collaborate and we were more than happy to help. I was inspired by the great women who lead the organization we collaborated with, who have been working in this field for more than 15 years.”

Osama Daoud was also impressed. He describes, “Being able to see and be part of the community helping each other was the highlight of this activity for me. It was a very heartwarming experience that brought us closer to the local community of Zarqa and understand their needs a lot more, which opens up the door of possibilities to do more for them”.

Inkush Beitak was a big success again this year, and it just keeps getting better! The Jordanian YES alumni are looking forward to growing this project again next year for the tenth anniversary.

Hala Al Fares (YES 2017 -2018, Jordan, placed by ASPECT in Saratoga springs, UT)

Osama Daoud (YES 2018-2019, Jordan, placed by AFS in Blue Springs, MO)