Busayra is a
town in Al-Tafilah Governorate in southern Jordan, approximately 200 km from
Amman. From its archaeological site, Busayra has a beautiful panoramic
view over valleys and hills.
This site was the administrative and political capital of the kingdom of Edom
between 800 and 500 BCE, toward the end of the Iron Age.
Safa Rofu
and her team are a success story of a local women-led enterprise in Busayra.
The story started when Safa was a youngster living near a historic
archaeological site, which in turn made her curious to find out more about its
history. Her passion led to the discovery of her fondness of archaeology, and her
passion for this subject gave her the determination to seek a university
education that eventually led to obtaining a master’s degree. Her work effort
continued with the award of a USAID-funded grant with The American Center of
Research in 2021 through its USAID-funded Sustainable Cultural Heritage Through
Engagement of Local Communities Project (SCHEP).
Safa is one
of those people who dream about telling the story of her hometown by creating a
unique experience for those who visit the archaeological site. She engaged her
community, especially women and youth, to promote her locality as an attractive
destination with promotions and interactive programs.
To achieve
her vision, Safa established the Busayra Cultural Heritage Foundation, whose
headquarters occupy a restored abandoned house that was rehabilitated with
financial and technical support from the American Center's grant. All programs
introduced under the umbrella of this foundation serve locals and tourists
alike.
Safa merged
her efforts with the American Center's team to accomplish development of the
historical site, leading community members in the project, creating touristic
experiences, conducting partnerships, training students and supporting their
ideas, and promoting her community’s cultural heritage.
Safa has
always been dedicated to promoting Busyara’s narrative, encouraging visitation
to it, and guiding her surrounding community to learn about their heritage, so
that they can realize how rich are the stories that they have to tell and also that
they have many attractive products to offer for sale. For its part, The
American Center of Research believes in coaching its beneficiaries on
principles of self-reliance and in educating them about how to sustain their
projects over the long term.
You can
visit the Busayra archaeological site to see first-hand all its newly created
trails, shaded areas, interpretive panels, and murals. Also, you can stop at
the Busayra Cultural Heritage Foundation to experience their diverse cultural
hands-on activities, such as cooking traditional dishes, walking through well-developed
nature trails, and forming clay objects.