In Jordan's northern desert, less than 20km from the Syrian border, Marah is learning to sew, a useful skill in Jordan's labour market. It looks like a typical training course, but her trainer is Hamda, one of 80,000 Syrian refugees living in her hometown, Mafraq.
Since 2011, when the Syrian conflict broke out across the border, Mafraq has seen its population double, becoming home to the world's largest refugee camp. Unemployment has also risen in the town, and many residents now see their guests as competition.
"Access to jobs is the biggest risk for social cohesion in Mafraq," says Nayef Stetieh, CEO and President of the Business Development Centre, which runs Empretec Jordan, an UNCTAD programme teaching business skills to entrepreneurs.
"Many Jordanians fear Syrians will take their jobs as the government eases employment restrictions for refugees, while Syrians worry they'll face discrimination in the workplace," Mr. Stetieh says.
By pairing 100 Syrian refugees like Hamda, a fashion student back home, with 200 Jordanians like Marah, who dreams of selling custom-made clothes, the skills transfer programme helps both sides to gain from each other, Mr. Stetieh says.
"Syrians are teaching Jordanians new skills they can use to get a job or start a business, and Jordanians are helping Syrians to feel more secure and at home in their host community," he says.
"It's about building bridges, and getting both sides to reach over and help the other," he adds.
In an article published in the Jordan Times, Hamda said she is excited to pass on her skills to Marah and is confident the programme will build strong bonds between the two.
A recent high school graduate, Marah has high hopes too, saying Syrians are skilled and creative people.
“It's important I plan my life and learn new skills," she said. "I will not just stay at home."
After an initial three-month training phase, the programme will help Marah and others to find work in sectors such as manufacturing. A select few will get access to seed capital and more training.
Meanwhile, the Syrian refugees will continue to mentor their trainees, earning 10 Jordanian dinars a day (about $15). In the process, they are building personal and professional networks that will help them succeed once they can work or start a business.
Designed using research by Harvard psychology professor David McClelland, UNCTAD's Empretec programme has been active in 39 developing countries since its launch in 1998. To date it has trained over 370,000 budding entrepreneurs.
This nine-month skills transfer programme is a joint venture between Empretec Jordan, the UN Development Programme and the World Food Programme.
