For the past couple of years, discussions on the future of international nongovernmental organizations have painted a bleak future for the “squeezed middle”— midsize NGOs with a specific technical specialization or that are highly dependent on a specific funding source.
East Meets West is trying to dispel that notion.
Based in Oakland, California, this midsize NGO focuses on delivering health, education, and water and sanitation programs in South and Southeast Asia. Last year, East Meets West merged with Blue Planet Network — a partnership forged around the same time that Save the Children merged with Merlin, which instigated a buzz about merger and acquisition potential in the NGO and international development community.