Challenge
Zarqa, the second largest city in Jordan, is home to large numbers of Syrian and Palestinian refugees but lacks sufficient amenities to serve its growing population.
Solution and Impact
DFC financing is supporting development of a modern souk in Zarqa, which is located in the Jordanian Government’s King Abdullah Bin Aziz City urban development project, a master-planned community to alleviate urban congestion and expand access to public resources. This new community will serve as a gateway to new affordable housing in Zarqa, which will help relocate refugees into a more sustainable living environment that offers public resources and affordable housing.
The Souk Al Medina will provide grocery, community retail, banking services, restaurants, and family entertainment in a secure environment and create quality jobs in an underdeveloped region of the country. The souk also sets aside three percent of the leasable space for a “charity zone” comprised of 21 separate shops that will be made available to disadvantaged Zarqa entrepreneurs, including women and refugees.