Stability and Security in the Syrian Crisis
Stability and Security in the Syrian Crisis By David Humphries, Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Global Communities  |  This story originally appeared on Medium. This picture shows two countries: Jordan and Syria. On one side there is peace, on the other side, war. The people of the Governorate of Mafraq, Jordan, live alongside the…
Read MoreBuilding an Inclusive Financial Sector in Iraq
Building an Inclusive Financial Sector in Iraq By Iftin Fatah, Investment Officer, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) Â | Â This article originally appeared on the Center for Financial Inclusion Blog. Adaweya struggled to support her family after her husband became disabled. With financing for Vitas Iraq, she was able to expand her sewing business, increase her…
Read MoreDevelopment, not Dependency: Investment as a Path to Self-Sufficiency and Stability in the Middle East
Development, not Dependency: Investment as a Path to Self-Sufficiency and Stability in the Middle East By David A. Weiss, President and CEO, Global Communities | This article originally appeared on The Huffington Post. Maleeka Mohammed, winner of businesswoman of the year from Bank Al Etihad In my previous two blogs, I have focused on the importance of measuring…
Read MoreGlobal Communities in Lebanon: Agriculture – Farming, Aquaculture, and Modern Greenhouses
Global Communities in Lebanon: Agriculture – Farming, Aquaculture, and Modern Greenhouses Clustering for Economic Development and Revitalization of Industry Sectors Through CEDARSplus, which builds on predecessor program CEDARS to expand rural economic opportunities with various entities from the private, government, academic, and non-profit sectors, Global Communities has worked closely with the Moawad Rene Foundation since…
Read MoreGlobal Communities in Lebanon: Agriculture
Global Communities in Lebanon: Agriculture Lebanon Apple Production Agriculture is Lebanon’s third most important sector, employing about 15% of the active population. Global Communities has been instrumental in supporting and expanding agricultural businesses in Lebanon by working closely with the USDA-funded Lebanon Apple Production Improvement Program (LAPI), which introduced a mechanism for quality control and…
Read MoreGlobal Communities in Lebanon: Education and Employment of Women
Global Communities in Lebanon: Education and Employment of Women Women living in many parts of the Middle East experience extremely high unemployment rates; some leave the work force to start families and then struggle to re-enter the job market, while some are completely new to paid employment. Instability in the region has prompted even more…
Read MoreGlobal Communities in Lebanon: Education and Employment of Youth
Global Communities in Lebanon: Education and Employment of Youth MENA YES: Youth Employment and Education in Lebanon The unemployment rate in Lebanon increased from of 11 to 20 percent during the course of 2014, according to the World Bank. The Lebanese Ministry of Labor put this figure at closer to 25 percent, with youth unemployment…
Read MoreGlobal Communities in Lebanon: Working with Refugees
Global Communities in Lebanon: Our Work with Refugees Global Communities has worked closely with UNHCR to provide for refugees as well as the communities that host them. The Lebanese public health, education and infrastructure systems continue to struggle in providing services to locals and newcomers alike. Hundreds of thousands of individuals go without health care,…
Read MoreGlobal Communities: Committed to Assisting Refugees
Global Communities: Committed to Assisting Refugees Global Communities’ mission is to create long-lasting, positive and community-led change that improves the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable people across the globe. Today, there are few people more vulnerable than the people affected by the Syrian conflict, the displaced within Syria, the refugees across the region and beyond,…
Read MoreBeyond the Basics: Holistic Humanitarian Assistance for Syrians
Beyond the Basics: Holistic Humanitarian Assistance for Syrians By Margo Berends  |  This article originally appeared in American Diplomacy. The Syrian conflict continues to tear apart communities, families, lives and livelihoods. Millions have been displaced by the violence, either within Syria or across its borders, and the refugee crisis reverberates across the Middle East, Europe and…
Read MoreYemen Factsheet
Yemen Factsheet Global Communities has been working in Yemen since 2004 implementing humanitarian and development programs across a broad range of sectors and has continued to provide on-the-ground assistance throughout the current conflict. Programs have included providing emergency aid to communities affected by conflict; empowering young people through job skills development; improving the educational system by…
Read MoreMarket Labor and Youth Capacity Assessment in Lebanon
Market Labor and Youth Capacity Assessment in Lebanon Worldwide, young people are three times more likely than their parents to be out of work. There are two related issues: high levels of youth unemployment and a shortage of people with critical job skills. Lebanon is experiencing these same issues, in its own particular economic context.…
Read MoreWhen One Door Closes, Another Opens: Syrian Entrepreneurs Creating New Economic Opportunities in Jordan
When One Door Closes, Another Opens: Syrian Entrepreneurs Creating New Economic Opportunities in Jordan The Alwis Brothers Co. was established in Syria in 1935 as a small family business that produced glucose. By 1994, their factory had become the largest producer of glucose and starch in the region, and the owners expanded with new factories…
Read MoreLight of Hope in the Middle of the Crisis: Solar Power to Light Up Syrian Refugee Camp in Jordan
Light of Hope in the Middle of the Crisis: Solar Power to Light Up Syrian Refugee Camp in Jordan The Azraq camp for Syrian refugees will be the first refugee camp in the world to be powered by clean energy. Established in April 2014, the Azraq camp is home to more than 50,000 Syrian refugees…
Read MoreYouth Local Councils in Palestine: Promoting Civic Participation Among Youth in Palestine
The capacity of local government to reach out to citizens and to involve them in identifying priorities, planning, and monitoring builds trust and solidifies the relationship between citizens and government officials. Over the past decade, Global Communities in Palestine has designed interventions to enhance awareness of good governance practices and the important role of the…
Read MoreLocal Government and Infrastructure (LGI) Program
The overall goal of the Local Government and Infrastructure (LGI) program is to promote an enabling environment for good local governance and provide the basic infrastructure necessary for sustainable improvements in the quality of life of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Awarded in 2010, the program focuses on two main components, infrastructure and…
Read MoreInnovation in Infrastructure – Creating the Ras Atiya School in the West Bank
Global Communities West Bank & Gaza worked with architects and engineers to build a school in the West Bank that is seismic resistant. This school can withstand earthquakes and can be used as a shelter for other emergencies. The innovation used in constructing the school will allow it to be a safe learning place for…
Read MoreMENA YES: Adapting and Sustaining Demand-Driven Training Programs
Adapting and Sustaining Demand-Driven Training Programs: A Case Study from the Middle East While the unprecedented transitions taking place in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have been greatly stimulated by the activism of youth seeking better future for themselves and their societies, the region has the highest youth unemployment rate in the world. In…
Read More