During the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s royal tour of Jordan, the Duchess joined Queen Rania Al Abdullah on a visit to the Queen Rania Family and Child Centre (QRFCC) in Jabal Al Nasr in eastern Amman.
The Duchess is currently accompanying her husband on the trip as they celebrate the centenary of Jordan and the UK-Jordan bilateral friendship. This tour marks the couple’s first major overseas tour since the global health crisis began in 2020.
Queen Rania said about the visit: “It’s lovely to welcome the royal couple to Jordan again!”
During their visit to the centre, the Queen introduced the Duchess to the centre’s programs which focus on empowering women and children. The centre was established in 2005 under the foundation’s Child Safety Program to promote child protection and wellbeing; it also offers holistic services to combat child abuse and strengthen one’s family unit.
Welcomed by JRF Director General Enaam Barrishi, the Duchess and Queen went on a guided tour of the facility and shadowed the different programs the centre offers to children, youth, and women. The royal women visited the “Beit Sgheer,” or “My Little Home,” which is a simulated environment that teaches children and parents the basics of healthy home dynamics. The pair then went to join a group of adolescent girls in a session on building self-esteem and assertiveness.
Other stops on their tour included stopping by a small exhibition of local Jordan River Design handicrafts and meeting the group of women who created the items. As part of JRF’s Social Enterprises project, the items on display were launched in collaboration with the furniture group IKEA. IKEA currently sells the Jordanian collection in many stores worldwide. After meeting with the women, Queen Rania and Duchess sat in on an art therapy session for survivors of gender-based violence.
JRF is a non-governmental organisation chaired by Her Majesty that was established in 1995 with a focus on both child safety and community empowerment. The foundation helps to provide home-grown solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing Jordan. The organisation also runs a toll-free Families and Children Helpline providing emotional support, assistance, and referral services.
