 Help for Latin America |
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February 5, 2007 - A $9 million campaign is underway to support Latin America's struggling smaller Jewish communities and boost the success of ORT's major operations in the continent. Part of the money will be raised internationally over the coming four years; the rest will be raised by the benefiting communities, including Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Venezuela. Many of the countries are emerging from a protracted economic crisis, but there are flies in the ointment: high inflation, skills shortages, continues high unemployment, and a widening poverty gap. "There is much good news coming out of Latin America," said World ORT Director General Robert Singer, "but the economies are struggling to adapt to the competing influences of rising global energy demands, low-cost imports and technological advances. "The World ORT Campaighn for Latin America aims to guide the many Jewish communities, large and small, through this difficult period of change and to build a solid base for their future existence." One of the main beneficiaries will be Argentina, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. "The education system we have built up in Argentina is one of the best ORT operations in the world," said Dario Werthein, a member of ORT Argentina's Board and of World ORT's Executive Committee. "But we are having to turn away hundreds of students because we do not have the facilities for them. We must invest if we are to have the capacity to meet the community's needs." OTher countries, such as Colombia, Costa Rica, Bolivia and Peru, stand to gain from the introduction of the TAVEC (Advanced Technology in Scientific Education) project, by which ORT Chile has upgraded science facilities in more than 50 schools over the past 10 years to the benefit of some 500,000 pupils. With the funding of the Coca-Cola Foundation, ORT Chile has not only provided the schools with refurbished infrastructure and modern equipment but also with with on-going teacher training and technical assistance. In Mexico, ORT plans to establish a media and IT centre that will provide trainingt for teachers and workshps for students at all local Jewish schools. ORT Uruguay is regarded as one of the top tertiary institutions in the region, but while its success may make it a desirable option for many, there are some who cannot afford its fees. Already, many Jewish undergraduates benefit from a system of means-based subsidies but, with international help, 10 ORT scholarships could be offered to underprivileged students. Other benficiaries include Chile, where ORT plans to establish a school in the capital Santiago; Brazil, where laboratory facilities will be upgraded and tuition assistance extended to more underprivileged students; and Cuba, where help will be given for the operation of the Ana and Ben Dizik ORT Technical Centre. Source: World ORT Union |
