empowermena.org

About Us

About Us

Who We Are

EmpowerMENA is a regional social impact and capacity-building platform supporting public, nonprofit, and mission-driven organizations across the Middle East and North Africa.We work at the intersection of institutional strengthening and community-led development, supporting organizations to improve performance, enhance resilience, and deliver meaningful and measurable impact. 

Our Story

EmpowerMENA was founded in response to a shared reality across the MENA region. Public and civil society organizations play a central role in development and reform efforts and are increasingly expected to deliver results in complex, fast-evolving environments shaped by changing mandates, diverse stakeholders, and heightened accountability.

Alongside their deep commitment and local expertise, many organizations are navigating structural and operational challenges that naturally emerge as contexts, systems, and expectations evolve over time. These may include the need to modernize processes, strengthen internal capacities, and better align strategy with implementation.

EmpowerMENA was created to work alongside institutions as a trusted partner, providing strategic guidance, practical tools, and tailored capacity-building support that helps organizations translate vision into action and sustain impact over time.

Our Mission

To strengthen organizations and empower communities across the MENA region through strategic consulting, capacity building, and context-driven solutions.

Our Vision

A region where public and civil society organizations lead with purpose, resilience, and global relevance, delivering sustainable development outcomes for the communities they serve.

How We Work

Our approach is guided by a set of core principles:

  • Partnership-driven and collaborative
  • Locally informed and culturally grounded
  • Globally aligned with international best practice
  • Outcome-driven and evidence-based
  • Adaptive to complex and evolving contexts
  • Technology- and AI-enabled to enhance design, delivery, and decision-making

Our Objectives

Our work is guided by three strategic objectives that shape how we design our services, partnerships, and engagements across the region.

To strengthen the capacity of public and third-sector organizations to identify, design, and deliver high-impact initiatives.

We support institutions to align strategy with community needs, leverage data, best practices, and appropriate technology, and make informed investments that lead to measurable and sustainable results.

To support inclusive and resilient communities through the design and delivery of context-responsive initiatives that respect local identities and strengthen participation, opportunity, and agency.

Our work focuses on enabling individuals and groups to contribute meaningfully to social and economic development within their communities.

To foster effective collaboration among public institutions, civil society organizations, community actors, and other stakeholders.

By strengthening partnerships and encouraging knowledge exchange and coordinated action, we contribute to systemic change and more effective responses to complex development challenges.