Visiting Jordan offers more than breathtaking landscapes and ancient history, it’s also a chance to support local communities through the country’s remarkable nonprofits. National Nonprofit Day, celebrated each August, highlights organizations that create meaningful impact, and in Jordan, these groups focus on causes like environmental protection, social development, and women’s empowerment.
For travelers, engaging with these nonprofits provides authentic experiences while giving back to the communities they visit.
Here are some of Jordan’s standout organizations that make every journey both memorable and meaningful:
From Jordanian dishes to beautiful rugs and pottery, Dar Ne'meh offers Jordanian women an opportunity to get training, showcase their talented skills, sell handicraft items, and serve delicious meals to their community. Due to its immense success in Jordan, Dar Ne'meh has opened restaurants throughout the kingdom, which also feature a market showcasing local products for visitors to purchase.
Photo credit: Dar Ne'meh Instagram
Chaired by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, JRF is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that focuses on community empowerment. JRF has a showroom and kitchen located in a beautiful building in the heart of Amman, offering an impressive selection of traditional and contemporary handicrafts created by Jordanian women, as well as meals and food products cooked by local women. The showroom features embroidered products and rugs produced by over 3,000 women artisans empowered by JRF.
Photo credit: Jordan River Designs Instagram
Iraq Al Amir Women’s Cooperative Association
Based out of a renovated Ottoman-era house in the town of Iraq Al Amir, the Iraq Al Amir Women’s Cooperative Association was established over two decades ago by the Noor Al-Hussein Foundation (NHF). Since its founding, the cooperative has worked to provide employment opportunities and increase income for Jordanian women. The cooperative utilizes the women's skills by producing and selling handmade pottery, fabrics, ceramics, food, and paper products.
Photo credit: Iraq Al Amir website
Al Numeira Environmental Association (NEA)
NEA is a volunteer-based NGO that focuses on raising environmental awareness, engaging local resources in sustainable tourism activities, and encouraging volunteers and travel groups to participate in conservation-related activities.
Photo credit: NEA Facebook page
Visitors to Jordan can explore the Meaningful Travel Map of Jordan, featuring 15 social enterprises that offer unique local experiences while supporting rural communities, turning every visit into a meaningful adventure.