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For those of you who may not already be aware... Please forward to your friends and colleagues in the community.<BR>
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The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce the availability of Small Grants funding through the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), a program of the U.S. Department of State. Proposals are now being accepted for projects that create new economic opportunities, enhance access to and quality of education systems, expand public participation in community life, and/or empower women. Small grants are intended for local members of civil society, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and universities. For more information, including the application packet, go to: <A href="http://www.abudhabi.mepi.state.gov/funding.html">http://www.abudhabi.mepi.state.gov/funding.html</A><BR>
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>From <A href="http://mepi.state.gov/c16050.htm">http://mepi.state.gov/c16050.htm</A><BR>
<H1>Success Stories</H1>
<STRONG>Political</STRONG><BR>
<P align=left><A href="http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/pix/b/nea/50109.htm"><IMG alt="Woman points to computer screen as three men look on during informational resources workshop. Marrakech, Morocco, June 1, 2005. Photo by Tanmia." hspace=4 src="http://www.state.gov/cms_images/2005-06-01_mepi_morocco_ngos_online_140.jpg" align=right vspace=3 border=0></A></P>
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<DIV align=left>Increased the transparency of Lebanon's historic elections in 2005 through targeted technical and material support to domestic monitoring organizations, voter education, journalists, and candidates. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Provided support to over 2,000 domestic election monitors for Egypt's first multi-candidate election. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Supporting the only live satellite broadcasts of Arab parliamentary sessions. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Supporting national and local political party organizations and their members in countries who will have new rounds of municipal and parliamentary elections in 2005-2007. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Strengthening the role of civil society in the democratic process by facilitating dialogue among activists, NGOs, and foreign ministers at G8/BMENA meetings and by awarding more than 70 indigenous civil society organizations with direct grants. </DIV></LI></UL>
<P align=left><A name=economic></A><STRONG>Economic</STRONG></P>
<P align=left><A href="http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/pix/b/nea/40333.htm"><IMG alt="Group of people posing for Middle East Entrepreneur Training in the United States Program (MEET U.S.) group shot. San Diego, California, December 6, 2004. Photo courtesy Beyster Institute. " hspace=4 src="http://www.state.gov/cms_images/2004-12-06_mepi_meet-us_140.jpg" align=right vspace=3 border=0></A></P>
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<DIV align=left>Entrepreneurial training for more than 180 participants from 16 Middle East and North African countries. Almost half were women. Twenty alumni have started or expanded businesses. At least 150 new jobs have been created. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Extending credit and services to small and medium sized businesses through peer consultation and training for regional banks and financial organizations. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Established self-sustaining Junior Achievement chapters in 12 countries throughout the Middle East--over 10,000 students have participated. Created public-private partnerships that assisted in the sustainability of Junior Achievement chapters. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Expanded trade capacity of Arab countries with training and technical assistance; a number of Gulf countries are drafting new labor laws and updating import/export agricultural standards. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Created the first-ever Business Women's Summit for Middle Eastern businesswomen. 200 women from 16 Middle East and North Africa countries and eight American businesswomen attended. A new Middle East and North Africa Business Women's Network was created by the attendees. </DIV></LI></UL>
<P align=left><A name=education></A><STRONG>Education</STRONG> </P>
<P align=left><A href="http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/pix/b/nea/55208.htm"><IMG alt="First Lady Laura Bush and Jordanian Queen sit and speak with members of a Junior Achievement program, Amman, Jordan, May 22, 2005. Photo by Royal Court." hspace=4 src="http://www.state.gov/cms_images/2005-05-22_mepi_jordan_laura_bush_140.jpg" align=right vspace=3 border=0></A></P>
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<DIV align=left>Providing English language study to over 1,500 underserved youth from 13 countries in the Middle East through a micro-scholarship program. As a result of the program's initial success, the program size is being increased to reach 13,000 people with an added focus on civic responsibility. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Translated over 80 children's book titles into Arabic and providing more than a million new books to the Middle East through the first ever effort to use classroom libraries to develop independent reading, critical thinking, and analytical skills in young people. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Develop new English as a Foreign Language and on-line civic education curricula for grades K - 12 through public-private partnership among global and local businesses, governments, and NGOs. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Empowering young, highly-motivated Arab men and women with leadership, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial skills through intensive, five-week institutes. More than 135 students have participated and many started their own projects back at home. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Demonstrating creative, innovative solutions to education challenges through 'Partnership Schools' that offer quality and relevant education alternatives for children and serve as models for governments as they address additional educational challenges in the future. </DIV></LI></UL>
<P align=left><A name=women></A><STRONG>Women's Empowerment</STRONG></P>
<P align=left><A href="http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/pix/b/nea/48752.htm"><IMG alt="Students parade in the streets practicing democratic ideals, Sanaa, Yemen, June 2, 2005. State Department photo." hspace=4 src="http://www.state.gov/cms_images/2005-06-02_mepi_yemen_students_parading_140.jpg" align=right vspace=3 border=0></A></P>
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<DIV align=left>Raising the political, advocacy, and communication skills of women candidates through innovative Regional Campaign Schools attended by over 300 women from the Middle East and North Africa. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Provide regional micro-enterprise and business internships for women which include a one month executive MBA program and a 3-month internship at Fortune 500 businesses; 42 women from 16 countries in the region have attended so far. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Building a professional network for Arab women legal professionals that offers professional development training programs, policy roundtables, mentoring and a resource directory. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Published the first-of-its-kind comprehensive survey and analysis on the status of women's freedom in 17 countries and territories in the Middle East. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Empowering grassroots women's NGOs across the region through targeted training on advocacy, negotiation, outreach and communication skills to build foundations for democratic reform. </DIV>
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<DIV align=left>Provide training for judges and legal professionals on issues ranging from the family code to domestic violence and honor killings. </DIV></LI></UL>
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