[LCM Articles] Middle East Partnership Initiative

[Brahim Dagher]

For those of you who may not already be aware... Please forward to your friends and colleagues in the community.
 
 




 
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: http://www.abudhabi.mepi.state.gov/funding.html
 
 
>From http://mepi.state.gov/c16050.htm
Success Stories
Political



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. 

Provided support to over 2,000 domestic election monitors for Egypt's first multi-candidate election. 

Supporting the only live satellite broadcasts of Arab parliamentary sessions. 

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. 

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. 
Economic



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. 

Extending credit and services to small and medium sized businesses through peer consultation and training for regional banks and financial organizations. 

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. 

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. 

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.   
Education 



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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.  
Women's Empowerment



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. 

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. 

Building a professional network for Arab women legal professionals that offers professional development training programs, policy roundtables, mentoring and a resource directory. 

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. 

Empowering grassroots women's NGOs across the region through targeted training on advocacy, negotiation, outreach and communication skills to build foundations for democratic reform. 

Provide training for judges and legal professionals on issues ranging from the family code to domestic violence and honor killings. 
 
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