Metadata: World ORTInternational Cooperation Records
Collection
- Country:
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Holding institution:
- World ORT
- Holding institution (official language):
- World ORT
- Postal address:
- World ORT, ORT House, 147 Arlington Road, London NW1 7ET
- Phone number:
- (0)20 7446 8595
- Web address:
- https://ortarchive.ort.org/
- Email:
- archive@ort.org
- Reference number:
- WO/10
- Title:
- World ORTInternational Cooperation Records
- Title (official language):
- World ORTInternational Cooperation Records
- Creator/accumulator:
- World ORT
- Date(s):
- 1960/2015
- Language:
- English
- German
- French
- Russian
- Yiddish
- Hebrew
- Extent:
- 211 boxes
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Physical condition:
- Good
- Scope and content:
- Records relating to the activities involved in managing and running World ORT's International Cooperation department. Records relating to IC activities may also be found in the Director General's files in WO/2; publicity & PR in WO/6; finance records in WO/8 and PC/ICD and FC re photographs and films respectively.
- Archival history:
- These records were received through an initial deposit from World ORTHQ administrative office in London.
- Administrative/biographical history:
-
In June 1959, following requests by non-Jewish bodies, the Executive Committee decided to establish a technical assistance department, which would 'undertake, on behalf of governments, international organisations and voluntary agencies, training programs in underdeveloped areas'. Its philosophy was 'based on a belief in the need to extend our technical knowledge and pedagogical teaching methods in the developing world, which is recovering its dignity'. The decision was debated at the World ORTUnion Congress in October 1960 and met some opposition. Some leaders objected to the idea, stating that it was a profound departure from ORT's original mission and feared it would have a negative impact on ORT's operations. Nevertheless, they ratified the decision with the proviso that under no circumstances would the technical assistance department impede - financially or in any other way - the activities of ORT in Jewish communities around the world.
In his opening speech to the Central Board Dr William Haber declared that ORT '…decided not long ago, to establish a whole new [field] of ORT work, to set up a parallel program of technical assistance on a contractual basis. We have here a seed which has not yet been planted, but whose potential for growth may be enormous. We may see the flowering of this aspect of ORT work on a grand scale in the decade to come. This would conform with the main historic trends of our times'.
In June 1960, American ORT signed an agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to assess the vocational education needs in eight newly independent African countries: Mali, Guinea, Sierra-Leone, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Dahomey (now Benin), Ethiopia and Cameroon. Missions took place in September 1961 and some of their recommendations were then implemented, Guinea and Mali being the first beneficiaries. Max Braude, World ORTUnion Director General, was very enthusiastic about this initiative and Charles Levinson was its first Director, holding the position from 1961 to 1967.
Over the years, the department was successful in securing funding from multilateral agencies (e.g. World Bank), national governments (e.g. Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation), private companies (e.g. Shell) and other organisations (e.g. George Soros Open Society foundations). It undertook projects in many, varied fields such as agriculture and forestry, vocational and technical education, transportation, healthcare, nutrition, information technology, women empowerment, etc. For example, from 1977 to 2005, the department was involved in a rural development programme in Senegal, financed by the Swiss Development Agency. They helped to redevelop four existing schools in agriculture, animal husbandry and forestry in Ziguinchor, St Louis and Bambey. They also offered courses for current staff to upgrade their skills and helped local farmers' organisations in training their members in crop, livestock production, pest and disease management, etc. Rwandans, Chadians and Guineans also attended the schools thanks to grants offered by the Swiss Development Agency. In Guinea, from 1968 to 1995, IC collaborated with a private firm, CBG (Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinee). They trained over 1000 technicians in a variety of roles: mining, equipment maintenance, road, rail and port infrastructure. Instruction also took place in Europe, in ORT schools in France and at the ORT Central Training Institute in Anières, Switzerland. The latter welcomed, for example, from 1974 to 1993 more than 450 individuals from Africa, Asia and Latin America to train as teachers.
The department performed well, though it encountered some difficulties following the 1979 move of WOU's head office - with the Technical Assistance department in tow - to London. Eugene Abrams, who had been the department's Director since 1968, and several staff members left, leaving newly appointed Director, Simon Feldman, in a tight spot. In his speech to the Central Board in 1983, World ORTUnion Director General Joseph Harmatz acknowledged these issues and proudly reported overcoming them, stating that 'Today we have a department alive as never before, with twice as many projects as we had before the department collapsed.'
In 1984, the Technical Assistance department was renamed the International Cooperation Department (ICD). In the early 1990s, it also developed programmes of democracy governance in the emancipated countries of the former Soviet Union. ICD had several offices worldwide, the main ones being London, Washington and Geneva. The latter office mainly dealt with projects financed by the African Development Bank and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. The Washington office managed projects financed by US based organisations (like USAID) and in London, ICD worked with European based organisations. Over its 50 years' existence, the department implemented more than 350 projects in 98 countries, helping individuals gain skills, fulfil their potential and become self-reliant.
In the late 1990s World ORTUnion encountered financial difficulties, which led to staff redundancies. In a period of six years, the ICD workforce worldwide had shrunk: in 1996 the department counted 17 full-time and 25 part-time staff. In 2001, it was reduced to six members. Aid funding also became harder to secure because of conflicts and economic problems worldwide. In these difficult conditions, the department suffered loss of revenue.
In 1998 the IC subcommittee of the Goldstone Commission on the Future of ORT in the 21st Century described IC as a vital asset of World ORTUnion. The 1999 Goldstone Commission report recommended that 'IC programmes and activities should be integrated into the operational activity of Head Office'. Following the Commission's recommendation, the World ORTBoard of Directors decided to revive the department in 2000. In 2001, an IC standing committee was created in Washington to look at the history of the department, its challenges and how to overcome them. It devised a recovery plan, which included putting more stringent financial measures in place, improving marketing and strengthening the work of IC with national ORT organisations - ORT South Africa and ORT Russia in particular. The measures proved beneficial. The December 2005 minutes of the subcommittee of the IC standing committee state that there had been an improvement and anticipate a balanced budget by the end of the year.
In 2010, the department worked in Haiti following the earthquake. Thanks to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and UNESCO, they provided training in earthquake-resistance building techniques to over 700 construction workers. In 2011, They also opened the World ORTNPH (Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos) vocational school, offering courses such as paramedic training, electricity, plumbing, etc.
Haiti proved to be one of IC's last projects. Minutes of meetings in 2012 described a dire situation: the department had failed to adapt to a more competitive environment, current projects were drying up and it was running into chronic deficit. In 2015, World ORTsuspended its involvement in international cooperation projects.
- System of arrangement:
- The collection is arranged thematically and by country.
- Yerusha Network member:
- World ORT
- Author of the description:
- Jennifer Brunton, World ORT, 2024
