Kitegang led a pioneering undertaking, in partnership with the Jordan Red Crescent, and Jumpstart International, in Amman, Jordan to advance vocational training and entrepreneurship beyond conventional offerings for Iraqi refugees and their Arab peers. Between its initiation in October 2008 and completion of the training phase in July 2009, 25 diverse individuals collaboratively created and managed a pilot program that they entitled “Project Creativity.” This toy project focused on core vocational competencies for participants ages 16-24, such as sewing (to make kites), woodworking (to make yoyos and other toys), and mastery of numerous software programs to facilitate the design and construction of kites and yoyos. Yet beyond this, the true training fell to the participants themselves to increasingly make management decisions as a collective business was formed from what began as a very disparate group. Critical thinking, problem solving, and the flexibility to make and learn from mistakes were all central to the entrepreneurial process. In turn, what began as 12 women and 13 men, 10 Muslims and four Christians, and a mix of 15 Iraqis and 10 from neighboring countries, ultimately grew into a collaborative group that was widely regarded as a “family.” This household of sorts proceeded through eight months of conflict, drama, empathy, and ultimately redemption in what could be described as the outer limits of what is possible in participatory vocational training. And from this, one further private toy-making business was created.
