FormaJO Dairy was established in 2018 in the village of Ader, in the Karak region—one of the poorest areas of Jordan—with the goal of empowering Jordanian women from vulnerable groups through training in Italian sheep’s cheese production.  

Habibi’s women-led dairy currently operates with a dedicated team:  

Six women manage cheese production,  

One woman oversees quality control and supervision,  

Two shepherds take care of the flock of sheep, which was initially purchased through a self-financing campaign and with support from the Bulgarian Embassy in Amman.  

Key Milestones and Growth  

In 2020, a USAID grant enabled significant upgrades, including:  

✅ Renovation of dairy premises at the Latin Parish of Ader,  

✅ Transformation of an underground cave into an aging cellar for sheep’s milk cheese,  

✅ Purchase of professional refrigeration equipment,  

✅ Acquisition of a cold-storage transport vehicle for safe product delivery.  

FormaJO cheeses are a core ingredient in the Mar Yohanna Center project, where they are used directly or incorporated into fresh ricotta ravioli made by a group of Iraqi women. In Amman, we also established a small training workshop where young people learned how to produce mozzarella and primo sale, which are now served and sold at Mar Yohanna Pizza Center.  

New Developments with Iqlaa  2023

Thanks to the support from the Iqlaa initiative, FormaJO has entered a new phase of growth:  

⭐ Expanded training programs to equip more women with advanced cheesemaking skills,  

⭐ Improved quality control and production techniques, integrating Italian expertise,  

⭐ Increased market opportunities, strengthening our local and regional sales network,  

⭐ Enhanced business sustainability, with a focus on financial independence and scalability.  

Our Future Vision

Our mission is to:  

🔹 Grow the flock and increase milk production,  

🔹 Expand cheese sales through local and international partnerships,  

🔹 Ensure the long-term sustainability of FormaJO, securing stable incomes for the women of Ader.  

Join us in making this project self-sustainable and creating lasting opportunities for the community!