CompassMENA is a non-governmental organisation creating lasting jobs in Lebanon by matching capable, work-ready people with companies that genuinely need them — regardless of background, network or belief.
of the Lebanese pound's value lost since 2019
of the population living in multidimensional poverty
youth unemployment — capable people locked out
one of the world's most severe crises since the 1850s
Indicative figures — Sources: World Bank, UN ESCWA & ILO. Behind every number are people ready to work.
Lebanon is living through a prolonged economic and social crisis. Many work-ready people are without a job — not because they lack skills, but because access to the labour market is shaped by economic collapse, weak recruitment systems, sectarianism, nepotism and missing connections.
At the same time, companies struggle to find and keep qualified staff and face high hiring risk. The result: open positions and capable candidates never meet.
CompassMENA is a non-governmental organisation that develops and runs socially sustainable initiatives in Lebanon. Our first initiative is an employment programme that creates lasting jobs by matching work-ready candidates with companies that have a real need for staff.
Candidates are selected purely on skills, potential, motivation and work-readiness — never through personal, political or religious connections.
Our method is inspired by the holistic social- and employment approach of the Danish welfare model — adapted to the realities of Lebanese society, and working deliberately across social, religious and political divides to counter sectarianism and nepotism.
Explore our methodMost people hold real resources, skills and drive — they simply lack access, tools and the chance to act freely and independently.
We create lasting social and structural change that promotes dignity, self-reliance, access to opportunity and social development for people in vulnerable positions.
We work across social, religious and political lines — actively countering and preventing sectarianism and nepotism in access to work.
Every placement is carried by a dedicated CompassMENA job consultant based in Beirut — the human infrastructure that turns a match into a job that lasts. They know the city, the companies and the barriers, and they stay close through the critical first months.
Every candidate is supported by a dedicated job consultant through eight clear steps designed to remove barriers and make each match stick.
Potential candidates are reached through social-media outreach and an initial questionnaire — opening the door to people outside the usual networks.
Candidates are screened and assessed on motivation, skills, potential and work-readiness — never on background or connections.
Selected candidates are paired with a dedicated job consultant who makes sure they are ready for the specific workplace and that practical barriers are handled.
The right candidate is matched with the right company — a real need meeting real ability.
The candidate starts in employment, with the groundwork already laid for a strong beginning.
Our consultants support retention through regular follow-up with employee and employer, early problem-solving, motivation and help applying for support for transport or workwear.
CompassMENA covers 50% of wages in month one and 25% in month two. In month three the company covers the full salary — a bridge, not a dependency.
The programme closes with follow-up and evaluation of the employment and the partnership — feeding data back into the model.
The subsidy shares the early risk of a new hire, then steps down quickly so the job stands on its own. By month three, the company carries the full cost — proof the match works commercially.
By proving it is both profitable and operationally smart to hire from our target group, the programme gradually opens companies to broader, more inclusive and more flexible recruitment.
The programme runs in Beirut — Lebanon's economic centre and one of its most diverse cities — to develop, deliver and document a model that scales across the country.
From first contact to a job that lasts — projected first-year targets.
Indicative allocation of the €250k programme budget.
All figures on this page are first-year targets and indicative planning assumptions — they define what the project sets out to achieve, not results achieved.
The kind of lives a single lasting job can change — the stories our programme is built to create.
"For the first time someone looked at what I can do — not who I know. I have a job, and my family can breathe again."
"My consultant helped with the small things that used to stop me — transport, the first week. Now I'm still here, three months on."
"The subsidy lowered my risk, but the real value was a candidate who was ready. I'd hire through CompassMENA again."
Illustrative personas representing the project's target group — created to show the intended impact, not real individuals.
The employment programme is CompassMENA's first initiative. From there, we build outward.
Establish the programme in Beirut, create the first 100 lasting jobs and document what works — the foundation for scale.
2026 · 12 monthsGrow the employment programme across Beirut and into Lebanon's major cities on a sustainable footing.
Next phaseDevelop several connected, sustainable social initiatives that strengthen social and economic stability across Lebanon.
Long-termWe're raising funding to run and grow the Beirut programme — a sustainable, scalable employment model for Lebanon. Let's talk about how you can be part of it.
Tell us a little about you — we'll get back within two working days.