Middle East Children's Institute (MECI)

What Middle East Children's Institute (MECI) does

MECI is a nonprofit organization founded in 2005 by Lola Nashashibi Grace, operating as a US 501c3 entity (Middle East Children's Institute) and Swiss charity (Fondation MECI International, established 2011). The organization delivers holistic, community-based programs for children and women in conflict-affected areas of the Middle East, primarily the West Bank and Jordan. Its program portfolio includes six core offerings: a Comprehensive After-School Program (academic support, psychosocial care, arts, sports, healthcare), Non-Formal Education for dropouts, University Scholarships ($3,500/year for 35 scholars since 2015), Women's Empowerment initiatives, a Summer Peace Camp, and a Healing and Growth program featuring the BreathConductor digital therapy partnership with Muvik Labs. MECI also operates an Internet Café (opened 2020, the first in the region) and a 'Young Eyes from Palestine' online photography gallery selling limited edition prints at $125 each.

MECI serves children aged 6-18, university scholars, out-of-school youth, and women in marginalized communities, with current reach of 1,600 students across six partner schools in the West Bank (post-Kufr Ein expansion in 2024) and cumulative reach of 30,000+ children since inception. The organization's revenue model is entirely donation-based, drawing from individual giving, institutional grants (UNICEF, UNESCO, Malala Fund, Sandoz Foundation, Fedevaco), corporate partnerships (Migros), and government funding (Ville de Geneve, Republique et Canton de Geneve). Fundraising events include annual Peace Concerts in Switzerland and photography exhibitions. Programs are delivered directly through partner schools and community-based women's associations, with key local partnerships including the Deir Ghassaneh Charitable Women's Association (18+ year partnership) and coordination with major music institutions including the Barenboim-Said Center.

MECI operates without political, religious, or military affiliation and has accumulated significant third-party validation, including the UPEACE Peace Award (2024), Lucie Award (2025), and a comprehensive evaluation by Columbia SIPA. The organization has demonstrated measurable outcomes: 94% academic progress among students, 97% improved self-confidence among girls, 89% behavioral improvement after three months, and a 74% average annual increase in student enrollment over four years. Headquartered in Locust Valley, NY, with a regional office in Montreux, Switzerland, and operational offices in Ramallah and Amman, MECI functions as a long-term catalyst addressing the human cost of conflict through education and community development.

Name

Middle East Children's Institute (MECI)

Legal name

Middle East Children's Institute

Website

https://mecinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MECI is a nonprofit organization delivering after-school education, psychosocial support, women's empowerment, and university scholarships to children and women in conflict-affected West Bank and Jordan communities, funded through donations and institutional grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Education and Community Development Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Newcomer & Refugee Student Support Programs (EDAJAGAH), Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• After-school education
• Psychosocial support
• Women's empowerment
• Humanitarian nonprofit
• Children's community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Locust Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: MECI relies primarily on donations from individuals worldwide. Donations can be made via credit card through their website, bank transfer (Switzerland), or check (USA). The organization is a 501c3 tax-exempt organization (Tax ID: 20-2512003) and Swiss charity with utilité publique status.
2. Institutional Grants and Partnerships: MECI receives funding from institutional partners including UN agencies (UNICEF, UNESCO), foundations (Sandoz Foundation, Malala Fund, AB Korkor Foundation), corporations (Migros), government bodies (Ville de Geneve, Republique et Canton de Geneve), and Swiss development funds (Fedevaco).
3. Photography Print Sales: The 'Young Eyes from Palestine' photography project sells limited edition prints (numbered 01-016) at $125 each, with all proceeds supporting MECI programs. Prints are available online and at exhibitions.
4. Event-Based Fundraising: MECI conducts fundraising events including Peace Concerts with specific fundraising goals (e.g., CHF 200,000 for December 2025 concert). Events feature musicians, exhibitions, and direct donation appeals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

MECI is a nonprofit organization delivering holistic education, psychosocial, and community development programs to children and women in conflict-affected areas of the Middle East (West Bank and Jordan). Its core offerings include after-school academic and creative programs, non-formal education for out-of-school youth, university scholarships, women's empowerment initiatives, a summer peace camp, and healing and growth services incorporating digital stress therapy. Programs are funded through donations, institutional grants, and limited edition photography print sales.

Product overview

MECI is a nonprofit organization operating a holistic child-centered community development model rather than a unified software product. The portfolio consists of six core educational programs: Comprehensive After-School Program (academic support, psychosocial care, sports, health services), Non-Formal Education for Young Adults (remedial education and vocational pathways), University Scholarships ($3,500/year grants for outstanding students), Women's Empowerment (entrepreneurial training and job creation), Summer Peace Camp (seasonal activities in arts, music, sports), and Healing and Growth (digital stress management via BreathConductor partnership plus expression workshops). Supporting offerings include an Internet Café for computer literacy and an Online Gallery selling student photography prints. All programs operate across West Bank villages and former Jordan operations, unified by the mission of education, healing, and community development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Comprehensive After-School Program
• Non-Formal Education for Young Adults

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of students showed academic progress
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Columbia School of International Public Affairs (SIPA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Conducted comprehensive assessment of MECI's work in Palestine in 2021. Five Master degree candidates worked with field staff for six months, surveying parents, staff, scholars, and stakeholders.
• Muvik LabscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Partnership to deliver BreathConductor, an evidence-based digital therapy for stress and anxiety reduction. Uses patented Aural Augmented Reality technology. Fully adapted into age-appropriate Arabic. Clinical trials published in peer-reviewed journal.
• Salzburg FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Supported MECI's music education in Jordan (2016), bringing music to refugee children.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Partner since 2013, expanding non-formal education for Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanian children. Collaboration through MECI's Jordan office established in 2014.
• Barenboim-Said Music ConservatorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Partnership since 2009 bringing advanced music programs, choirs, and youth symphonies to MECI's programs. Music Director Simón Ibáñez collaborates with MECI.
• Barenboim-Said Center for Music in RamallahcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Founded on belief that music can be a bridge for peace. Trains young Palestinian musicians and fosters cultural exchange. Since 2009, MECI has partnered to bring advanced music education to students through choirs, youth symphonies, and music programs.
• Deir Ghassaneh Charitable Women's AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 200718-year partnership providing women's empowerment programs. Association employs 15-17 women preparing meals for MECI schools. MECI relocated its main offices to WA building in 2020. Strong bond described as 'We grew up with MECI.'
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported remedial and emergency education in Jordan as part of EU's Education in Emergencies programs.
• Gregory MaillotcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneva-based photographer and developer of 'Young Eyes from Palestine' project curriculum. Led photography lessons with MECI students in West Bank, teaching technical basics and facilitating guided expression. Also contributed photography documentation of MECI programs.
• Time-in-Tempo.ArtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative agency founded by Natalia Signoroni. Conceptualized the 'Young Eyes from Palestine' photography project. Exhibited student work in Geneva.
• Stanford UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStanford start-up Muvik Labs partnered with MECI for BreathConductor digital therapy.
• Mercy CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among MECI partners.
• Georgetown UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among MECI partners.
• Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among MECI partners.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): International humanitarian medical organization operating in conflict and crisis zones. MECI's documented partner and where Program Director Salah Daraghmeh previously worked, comparable as a conflict-zone humanitarian operator, though focused on medical rather than educational services.

Direct peers

• War Child: International nonprofit dedicated to protecting and supporting children affected by war, with programs in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Comparable as a conflict-zone-focused child welfare organization offering psychosocial support, education, and youth empowerment.
• Right to Play: Global nonprofit using sport and play to protect and educate children affected by conflict, poverty, and disease. Comparable to MECI in serving conflict-affected children with structured psychosocial and educational programming, though sport-based as the primary delivery vehicle.
• Tomorrow's Youth Organization (TYO): US-registered nonprofit delivering education, vocational training, and women's empowerment programs to children and families in the West Bank (Nablus) and Lebanon. Closest operational peer given its similar holistic child-and-women development model in the same geography.
• Jusoor: Nonprofit providing education and livelihood programs to Syrian refugee children and youth in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. Comparable as a Middle East education nonprofit serving refugee/out-of-school youth, overlapping MECI's Jordan NFE programming.

Regional players

• Barenboim-Said Foundation: Foundation using music education to foster cultural exchange and peace, with a conservatory in Ramallah. MECI's documented partner since 2009, comparable as a West Bank-based youth education nonprofit, though narrower in focus (music exclusively).

Broad incumbents

• UNRWA (UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees): UN agency providing education, healthcare, and social services to Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. Directly comparable as the dominant education-services provider for MECI's target population in the West Bank and Jordan, but operating at vastly larger scale and as a UN body rather than an independent nonprofit.
• Malala Fund: Global nonprofit championing girls' education in conflict and crisis contexts. MECI's documented partner (Malala Fund supported MECI's remedial education in 2016), comparable in mission around education for marginalized girls in the Middle East.
• UNICEF (Education in Emergencies): UN agency delivering education, child protection, and emergency response globally, including in the West Bank and Jordan. MECI's institutional partner since 2013, comparable in beneficiary profile (children, including refugees) though vastly larger and a UN body.
• Save the Children: One of the world's largest child-focused humanitarian organizations, operating across education, health, and child protection in conflict-affected regions. Comparable to MECI in mission (children in conflict) and target beneficiary, but vastly larger in scale and portfolio breadth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/middle-east-childrens-institute

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Middle East Children's Institute (MECI)