Operations
Where your dollars go
Noor El-Salam maintains a deliberately lean administrative structure with less than 5% of donations being used for administrative or fundraising expenses. The vast majority of every dollar raised flows directly into the program: teacher salaries, facility costs, school materials, scholarships, and direct humanitarian aid to families in crisis.
Funds Allocation 2026 (Estimated)
Lean, accountable, transparent
With an annual operating budget under $50,000, it costs less than $200 to educate one child for an entire year. Overhead is limited to minimal administrative costs totaling less than 5% of contributions.
Oversight is rigorous: monthly board meetings include our lead teacher in Beirut, and our founder and president conducts bi-annual site visits, traveling at his own expense. Donors are welcome to join these visits and see the work firsthand.
Education Program Delivery
The Academy operates offers a basic half-day schooling to more than 150 children per day, including remedial classes for older children who have never had the chance to attend school previously. Our staff provides a sense of security and order in the often chaotic world of a refugee child, many of whom have been working odd jobs to support their families instead of being in school.
Humanitarian Aid
We provide emergency aid — food boxes, hygiene supplies, and direct living expense grants — that extends our reach to enrolled students' families and the broader community. Further, we have a partnership with Amel Association International, one of Lebanon's most trusted humanitarian organizations.
Facilities & Ops
From white boards and books to solar batteries that keep the lights on, the Noor Academy provides a warm and inviting learning environment. The dedicated staff includes a lead teacher/director, 6 teachers, 4 teaching assistants, and a custodian. Every enrolled student has grade-appropriate textbooks, schools supplies and multilingual instructional resources.
Minimal Admin Costs
Noor El-Salam is organized as a non-profit charitable corporation pursuant to Colorado law and is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Federal tax code. We are non-partisan and non-political with a volunteer cost-conscience board with minimal administrative expenses in the USA and in Lebanon.