II 1

CO

NT

EN

TS

Shalom Magazine for the Alumni of MASHAV Training Courses is published by Haigud - Transfer of Technology for Development.

Haigud, a government company and non-profit organization, serves

as the financial and administrative arm of MASHAV, and functions as a

professional unit to assist in the implementation of MASHAV activities.

MASHAVIsrael’s Agency for International

Development Cooperation

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

State of Israel

CONTENTS

1 FROM THE DESK OF THE HEAD OF MASHAVDANIEL CARMON

3 THE GOLDA MEIR MOUNT CARMEL INTERNATIONAL TRAINING CENTER CELEBRATES ITS JUBILEE!

MAZAL RENFORD AND YVONNE LIPMAN

7 GREEN ECONOMY, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND POVERTY ERADICATIONILAN FLUSS

11 WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAYINTRODUCING CHANGE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN

KUMASI, GHANA

AVIVA BEN HEFER AND JANETTE HIRSCHMAN

15 EMPOWERING SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN ETHIOPIA USAID-MASHAV-MOA JOINT TECHNICAL PROGRAM

DR. AVIHAI ILAN

18 DEVELOPING THE HUMAN RESOURCE: YOUNG LEADERS OF ECUADOR CAROLINA DÁVILA EGÜEZ AND MARCO DÁVILA ALARCÓN

21 UPGRADING EMERGENCY MEDICAL INFRASTRUCTURES AVNIT RIFKIN

26 THE PHILIPPINE-ISRAEL CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL TRAINING

SHAIKE STERN AND NAVOT HAKLAY

28 A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO SLUM UPGRADING YOSSI OFFER

30 SHALOM CLUBS

32 MASHAV NEWS

39 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

MASHAV - ISRAEL’S AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

II 11

FR

OM

TH

E DE

SK O

F TH

E HE

AD O

F MA

SH

AV

fter serving my country as Ambassador and Deputy Permanent

Representative at Israel’s Mission to the United Nations in New York

and returning back home, it is a great pleasure for me to address you in my new

capacity as Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Head of

MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation.

For over 53 years, MASHAV has been promoting projects all over the world focusing on the centrality of human resources enrichment and institutional

capacity building in the area of development. It is very exciting to join this effort and become part of an extraordinary professional mechanism committed to

cooperation throughout the developing world.

MASHAV is dedicated to providing developing countries with the best of Israel’s experience in development and planning. As a country which has gone

through the process of switching from an underdeveloped state in the 1950s to a

recent membership in the OECD, we feel we can share with others our firsthand

experience in development.

In recent years, Israel has intensified its commitment in international cooperation and its involvement in international development diplomacy. That is why in December 2007, during my tenure at the UN, Israel initiated a resolution on

Agricultural Technology for Development which enjoyed an overwhelming support

from the international community, in which the United Nations General Assembly

From left to right: Ambassador Daniel Carmon, Head of MASHAV; Mr. Sha Zukang,

UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs; Israeli Minister of

Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms. Orit Noked; and Mr. Ilan Fluss Director of

MASHAV’s Policy Planning and External Relations Department, during the joint Israel-

UN DESA High-Level Expert Group Meeting on Using Green Agriculture to Stimulate

Economic Growth and Eradicate Poverty

A

2

called upon member states to make greater efforts to promote the development

and transfer of appropriate technologies. Let me take this opportunity, this time

as the Head of MASHAV, to reaffirm my commitment to continue expanding our

technical cooperation programs in the coming years, for the benefit of those who

need it most.

A large part of the world is facing severe long-term development challenges aggravated by the climate, economic, food and energy crises. Often, our attention is

preoccupied with more immediate crises, and long-term challenges are put on the

back-burner. Yet, for many countries, they are an urgent matter. We must therefore

reach out to ensure social, economic and environmental sustainable development,

joining the international community’s efforts to implement the Millennium

Development Goals and providing a better livelihood for millions of people around

the world. MASHAV will definitely be part of this effort!

Sincerely,

AMBASSADOR DANIEL CARMONHead of MASHAV

Israel’s Agency for International

Development Cooperation

2

Ambassador Carmon (right) and Israel’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Oded Ben-Haim

(center) visiting a Micro-propagation laboratory within the framework of

MASHAV-USAID-MoARD cooperation program

2

MAZAL RENFORD AND YVONNE LIPMAN

he year 2011 marked the 50th anniversary of the Golda Meir Mount Carmel International

Training Center (MCTC) – the first training extension operated by MASHAV – Israel’s

Agency for International Development Cooperation. MCTC was designed for women

specializing in topics of socio-economic advancement, and was one of the first training

centers in the world in that area of expertise.

MCTC’s establishment was the result of the conviction of Golda Meir, then Foreign Minister of the young State of Israel, that her country, with all its recent experience as a new state,

was in a particularly useful position to offer meaningful assistance to women leaders in the

newly independent African and Asian states, to help them advance the situation of women

in their countries.

Golda Meir had two strong women supporting her in her effort: Inga Thorsson, Ambassador of Sweden to Israel at that time, and Mina Ben-Zvi, a dynamic Israeli leader, who became

MCTC’s Founding Director, a position she held for over 25 years. Indeed, Mina Ben-Zvi’s

spirit, energy and personality are reflected in the reputation the Center holds today.

Thanks to the efforts of these three women, in May 1961, 66 women participants from African, Asian and Mediterranean countries met in Haifa, Israel, to discuss “The Role of Women in a Developing Society”. The seminar culminated in a signed declaration proposing “establishing a center in Israel … promoting future national and international activities for the advancement of women.” The Mount Carmel Training Center opened its doors in Haifa as the result of that six-week seminar.

Golda Meir (who later became Prime Minister of Israel, 1969-74) believed that women should “make the most of (themselves) by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.”

True to Ms. Meir’s philosophy, MCTC encourages the development of women’s leadership, through its training activities. Biennial international conferences are held for women leaders

around the world, and in May 2011, exactly 50 years after the Mount Carmel Center opened,

it celebrated its the jubilee at its 27th biennial International Women Leaders’ Conference,

under the auspices of MASHAV and in cooperation with its international partner, UNESCO.

The 2011 Conference topic was Science, Technology and Innovation: Education and Training for Women and Girls. It was intended for approximately 50 women leaders, active at senior policy-making level – ministers, MPs, professionals from the scientific and

academic world, as well as senior officials working in NGOs and international and United

Nations specialized agencies in developing and industrialized countries.

3

1961-2011 THE GOLDA MEIR MOUNT CARMEL INTERNATIONAL TRAINING CENTERCELEBRATES ITS JUBILEE!

T

4

Its objectives were to advance the situation of women in

science, technology, innovation, exploring:

the availability of scientific and technological education

and training to women;

“the ideal of equality of educational opportunity without

regard to race, sex” (UNESCO’s Constitution, Article 2 (b),

1945);

attaining gender parity for women working in the areas

of science, technology and innovations at all levels;

ways of strengthening collaboration among nations

and international organizations through education and

training, research and development in science and

technology.

In addition to knowledge-sharing on topics concerning women in science, technology, and innovation, the

Conference provided an excellent networking opportunity

with relevant stakeholders in the developing world and

internationally.

Two of the world’s highest-ranking women – the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, and the Deputy

Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr. Asha-Rose

Migiro – took part in the Conference Opening Ceremony,

underlining the respect MCTC holds today in the world of

international development cooperation.

Each of the two leaders paid tribute to the impact MCTC has had on the world of adult education in development.

Ms. Bokova described MCTC’s education as a “development multiplier”, which provided “individuals and societies with the tools to respond to change and make the most of it”. Dr. Migiro recognized MCTC’s significant contribution to the

status of women in the developing world, saying that the

participants in the Conference were: “proof that the world

can change for the better – that efforts to ensure equality

between women and men can produce real progress. All of

this makes you powerful examples for others.”

H.E. Prof. Daniel Hershkowitz, Israel’s Minister of Science and Technology, brought congratulations to MCTC on behalf

of the government of Israel. He noted that the only way

to bridge gaps is by talking, and stated that “the ultimate universal language is that of science and technology.”

In brief 10-15 minute presentations, each distinguished speaker – from Argentina, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria,

Cameroon, China, Ecuador, Ethiopia, France, Georgia,

Honduras, Israel, Kosovo, Lithuania, the Maldives, Mexico,

New Zealand, Romania, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri

Lanka and Vietnam, and representatives of the National

Innovation Fund (Kazakhstan), Save the Children Norway

and UNECE – presented her case, offering persuasive

figures, examples or arguments emphasizing the lack of

equity in opportunities for the development of a scientific

career for women, or inequality in access to decision-

making sites in research institutions. Equally distinguished

participants from Bhutan, El Salvador, Italy, Japan, Kenya,

Myanmar, Nepal, the Palestinian Authority, Thailand and

UNESCO participated in the debate. The exchange of

experiences after three intense days of discussion was

unified in a new proposal which the participants named

the Declaration of Haifa.

This comprehensive document incorporates a call to governments, international organizations and other stakeholders to ensure that the crucial and central place of women and girls in education for science and technology is promoted, developed and expanded. Conference participants were given the responsibility of disseminating the Declaration widely and implementing its recommendations.

Conference delegate Ms. Stella Tamang speaking

on behalf of all past participants

(From left to right) Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro, UN Deputy

Secretary-General; MCTC Director Mazal Renford and Irina

Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO

4

As part of the conference program the participants toured higher education facilities for science and technology

in Israel, the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology,

the University of Haifa, the Robert H. Smith Faculty

of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the Hebrew

University, Rehovot Campus, and the Weizmann Institute of

Science. In these institutions the international participants

met charismatic women professors and researchers, who

shared with them some of Israel’s breakthrough work in

different fields and the ways in which Israeli girls and

women are encouraged to follow a scientific and technical

path. (See box: “Some Israeli Models”.)

Nor were festivities marking the occasion of MCTC’s jubilee overlooked. In Jerusalem, a delightful reception

was held in honor of the delegates, at the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs, celebrating the issue of a postage stamp

to mark 50 years of MCTC. This special ceremony was

held in the presence of Mr. Danny Ayalon, Deputy Foreign

Minister, Mr. Rafi Barak, MFA Director-General, and Head

of MASHAV, Ambassador Haim Divon. Conference delegate

Ms. Stella Tamang, who attended an MCTC training activity

in 1978-9 as a recently qualified teacher and is now

Founder and Principal of Bhrikuti School in Nepal, spoke

on behalf of all past participants, stating that “the training

I received at the Mount Carmel Center was so meaningful

and appropriate…. You touched the hearts and minds of

millions of women all over the world.”

Ms. Tamang’s moving words illustrated the point that over 35 years of advocacy and activism for women’s

empowerment and gender equality has shown that,

unless a deliberate effort is made at the very top of the

policy-making chain to address gender inequalities, policy

commitments in this area as they relate to education

(whether formal or non-formal) do not lead to meaningful

redistributions of knowledge, resources and wealth that

also benefit women and girls.

Sixteen years after the Beijing Declaration 11 years after the Dakar Framework for Action and 12 years after

the World Conference on Science, it is clear that many

obstacles still remain with regard to women’s and girls’

access science and technology education and the ability to

participate in it, take an active part in the definition and

implementation of research and development agendas

and fully benefit from the outputs of science and

innovation.

The MCTC/MASHAV/UNESCO 2011 International Women Leaders’ Conference provided a great opportunity for

women in high positions to meet together to review this

situation for women in science, technology and innovation

across the entire world. In the words of Prof. Graziela Elena

Vâjial, Secretary of State and President of the National

Anti-Doping Agency of Romania, and Dr. Meglena

Plugtschieva, Deputy Chairperson of the Commission for EU

Affairs of the Bulgarian Parliament, it was “an opportunity

to establish some connections with the most powerful

women in the whole world” and share their experiences.

They were able to gain “a first-hand insight to the Israeli

centers of scientific thought and achievements.”

Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon, unveiling MCTC’s

commemorative stamp

6

Israeli M

od

els P

rom

otin

g W

om

en

in S

cien

ce &

Tech

nolo

gy

The National Council for Advancement of

Women in Science and Technology, established

in 2000. It coordinates the state, public, non-

profit and private bodies that work towards the

advancement of women in science, coordinates

all Israeli programs with the European Union

and increases public awareness about the

problems and issues women face with regard to

working or studying sciences;

ORT Young Women for the 21st Century, created

by Israel’s first certified female pilot, Yael Rom, a

program which improves teaching and learning

methods among teachers and pupils;

GES project: Girls to Engineering Studies,

a program designed to increase the level and

number of girls who study mathematics and

physics in high school, with the goal of reaching

the required level to enter engineering studies

in university;

The Future Generation of Hi-Tech, an initiative

of the Forum of Female Industrialists of the

Manufacturers’ Association. Its goals are

to encourage women to choose a career in

science and technology and to encourage

students, especially girls, to study science and

technology in high school;

Israel Women’s Network, in cooperation with

the Ministry of Education, with programs that

advance the standing of women and fight

gender stereotypes in the education system;

The National Institute for Technological & Hi-

Tech Training (NITT), which has completed a

national survey drawing conclusions on how

more girls and women would be attracted

to studying and working in the sciences and

technologies;

The Forum for the Advancement of Women

in Academia – a group of women professors

from Israeli research universities and colleges,

who have the goal of placing gender equality

at the forefront of university agendas by

creating programs that support women in

graduate studies and by lobbying for increased

participation of women in decision-making

positions in higher institutions of education;

Day care for female graduate students and

more flexible working hours for mothers in

many institutions of academic studies and

higher learning;

A variety of scholarship programs for women

undergraduates and graduates within the

Ministry of Science, Culture and Sport, the

Ministry of Science and Technology, the

Weizmann Institute of Science and the Technion,

as the Conference participants were able to see

and hear for themselves on their visits to these

institutes of higher education;

The inspection of all school textbooks by the

Ministry of Education for gender stereotyping

since 2009.

Israel has developed many programs over the years, both governmental and non-governmental,

working towards the advancement of women in science and technology and encouraging the

education of girls in these fields. These programs are implemented through Israeli universities,

high schools and the employment sector. They include:

Through these different programs, Israel has the experience of promoting women in science

and technology, understanding that the role of women in science, technology and innovation is

imperative for all aspects of development.

6

he United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) will convene

in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2012. As mandated by UN General Assembly

Resolution 64/236, the principal objective of the Conference is to secure renewed political

commitment for sustainable development; to assess progress made to date and consider

remaining gaps in the implementation of agreed commitments; and to address new and

emerging challenges. The Conference will also consider two important themes: Green

Economy in the Context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication, and the

Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development.

With green economy now firmly established on the international policy agenda, it is important to review and clarify the linkages between a green economy and sustainable

development.

Sustainable development is the management and conservation of natural resources and the introduction of technological and institutional change to ensure meeting basic

human needs for present and future generations. It emphasizes a holistic, equitable

and far-sighted approach to decision-making at all levels and rests on integration and a

balanced consideration of social, economic and environmental goals and objectives in both

public and private decision-making. Such sustainable development (in the agricultural,

forestry and fisheries sectors) conserves land, water, plant and animal genetic resources, is

environmentally non-degrading, technically appropriate, economically viable and socially

acceptable.

The concept of green economy focuses primarily on the intersection between environment and economy. Although the concept has no internationally agreed definition,

all stakeholders concur with the fact that green economy implies “doing more/better with

less.” The main hypothesis is that the environmental and social goals of a green economy

can also generate increases in income, growth and enhanced well-being. The concept of

a green economy does not replace sustainable development but is a means to achieve

sustainability, not only ecologically and economically, but also socially.

The pursuit of economic growth and the drive towards ever-increasing consumption has had devastating impacts on the global environment, exploiting natural resources with little

regard for environmental impact, and valuing short-term financial gains over the long-term

benefits of preserving some of our most precious and valuable ecosystems. The Millennium

Ecosystem Assessment concludes that in the past 50 years, “human beings have changed

ecosystems more rapidly and extensively than in any comparable period in human history.”

The report states that the level of ecosystem degradation, if left unchecked, poses a major

threat to the wellbeing of future generations.

GREEN ECONOMY, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND POVERTY ERADICATION

ILAN FLUSS

THE WRITER IS DIRECTOR OF MASHAV’S POLICY PLANNING AND EXTERNALRELATIONS DEPARTMENT

T

7

8

There are a number of options for reversing and reducing ecosystem degradation, and what they all have in common

is an understanding that our global economic system needs

to value and invest in the environment and ecosystem

services upon which all human and economic activity

ultimately depends. In other words, we need to build a

“green economy.”

Most developing countries, and certainly the majority of their populations, depend directly on natural resources.

The livelihoods of many of the world’s rural poor are also

intricately linked with exploiting fragile environments and

ecosystems. According to the World Bank, well over 600

million of the rural poor currently live on lands prone to

degradation and water stress, and in upland areas, forest

systems and drylands that are vulnerable to climatic and

ecological disruptions.

As the single largest sector using 60 percent of world’s ecosystems and providing livelihoods for 40 percent

of today’s global population, the food and agriculture

sector is critical to greening the economy. Greening the

economy with agriculture implies increasing food security

(in terms of availability, access, stability and utilization)

while minimizing the use of natural resources, achieving

improved efficiencies through the introduction of new

agricultural technologies throughout the food value chain.

ECOLOGICAL SCARCITY AND POVERTY

Linking sustainable agriculture to poverty eradication is crucial to ensuring food security and enhancing

livelihoods, while restoring, safeguarding and

developing natural capital.

Seventy-five per cent of

the world’s poor still live

in rural areas and are

dependent on agriculture

for nutrition and livelihood support. Promoting more

effective, sustainable agricultural practices among poor

farmers is even more urgent today given the need to adapt

to climate change, which can have devastating effects on

national efforts to ensure food security. The recognition

of the environment and ecosystems as “stakeholders”

in our economic system is an underlying principle of

the green economy concept, as is the need to develop

knowledge-based agriculture that explicitly recognizes the

contributions of ecosystem services.

Increasing depletion of natural resources is an indication that we are irrevocably damaging ecosystems too rapidly,

and the consequence is that current and future economic

welfare is affected. As in the case of climate change, the

link between ecological deterioration and poverty is well-

established for some of the most critical environmental and

energy problems. For example, for the world’s poor, global

water scarcity manifests itself as a water poverty problem.

One in five people in the developing world lacks access

to sufficient clean water, and about half the developing

world’s population, 2.6 billion people, do not have access

to basic sanitation.

More than 660 million of the people without sanitation live on less than US$2 a day, and more than 385 million

on less than US$1 a day (UNDP 2006). Billions of people

in developing countries have no access to modern energy

services. Among the energy poor are 2.4 billion people who

rely on traditional biomass fuels for cooking and heating,

including 89% of the population of sub-Saharan Africa.

Thus, finding ways to protect global ecosystems, reduce the risks of global climate change, improve energy security

and simultaneously improve the livelihoods of the poor are

important challenges in the transition to a green economy,

especially for developing countries.

The challenge for policy-makers is to meet increasing demands for food and resources while minimizing

environmental and social pressure. A major shift in

agricultural policies and practices is needed if a growing

world population is to be fed without over-exploiting scarce

natural resources or further damaging the environment.

8

MASHAV’S APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

Closely connected to the international agenda, MASHAV’s agricultural programming deals with the introduction

of modern technologies and agro-technical methods

designed to increase the levels, sustainability and quality

of agricultural production to ensure food security. It also

concentrates on introducing effective support systems to

enhance the economic viability of agriculture in areas

such as marketing, storage and transport, the supply of

agricultural inputs, granting of credit and finance to the

agricultural sector and upgrading the work of extension

services.

MASHAV’s approach to agricultural development is based on harnessing science, technology and extension. Applied

research, the introduction of innovative technologies and

the promotion of agricultural crop intensification and

diversification are key elements in attaining sustainable

food security. The challenge is to adapt many of the

known improvements in the use of agricultural practices

and technologies to make them accessible to the reality

and needs of the smallholder farmers in rural areas,

while taking into account the different stakeholders in the

agricultural system (farmers, state and private sector).

TOWARDS RIO+20

As part of the preparations for participating in the Rio+20 Conference, the Government of Israel and the Secretariat of

the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

(Rio+20) decided to jointly organize a High Level Expert

Group Meeting on “Using Green Agriculture to Stimulate

Economic Growth and Eradicate Poverty,” held in Israel in

October 2011 (See Box).

9

Over 70 delegates from 28 countries including representatives from WFP and the FAO participated in the

event. The purpose of this high-level meeting was to discuss

the central role that green and sustainable agriculture

can play in stimulating economic growth and combating

poverty through the sharing of know-how, best practices

and lessons learned. Policy options should provide the

individual (including small) farmer with incentives to

apply sustainable practices to improve productivity,

income and well-being, while maintaining healthy

ecosystems. The focus of the meeting was on agricultural

development under conditions of limited natural resources

(including water and land), and to climatic instability.

Consideration was also given to the development of policies,

financial mechanisms and bio-physical management

systems aimed at increasing production efficiency, and

to the level and stability of yields under such adverse

conditions.

The opening statement was delivered by Mr. Sha Zukang, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social

Affairs, who stated that: “Israel has proven to be a leader

in agricultural technology for development, practicing

innovation and implementing sustainable solutions for

agricultural development, food security, and climate

change adaptation and mitigation. They have informed

and advised the Commission on Sustainable Development

on matters related to integrated water management,

drylands, and sustainable crop production. We have

much to learn from the Israeli agricultural experience.

I wish to commend the in-country experts here today

for the dedication they have shown in organizing and

contributing to this ambitious and interesting program.

I would therefore like to take this opportunity to thank

the Israeli Government for your continued leadership,

commitment, and generosity. I look forward to our

continued collaboration in the coming months as we

prepare for Rio+20.”

10

INTERNATIONAL HIGH LEVEL EXPERT GROUP MEETING ON USING GREEN AGRICULTURE TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ERADICATE POVERTY

TOPICS FOR PLENARY AND ROUNDTABLES INCLUDE AMONG OTHERS:

Mobilizing the farmer (large- and small-scale) to adopt economically viable food

production methods while making efficient use of natural resources;

Macro-economic policies for green agriculture;

Agricultural food production and the environment;

Identifying stakeholders in agriculture.

The program included a field trip to showcase Israeli best practices in different types of management of intensive agriculture to comply with sustainability on one hand

and economically viable food production on the other. The conclusions of the Expert

Group Meeting were summarized in an outcome document written collectively by the

participants and presented as a contribution of the group to the Rio+20 preparatory

process and will be incorporated in the compilation document to be submitted to the

second Intersessional Meeting in December 2011. Outcomes of the Expert Group Meeting

will also be introduced during the Rio+20 Conference through a side event.

T

T

The Government of Israel and the Secretariat of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) co-organized this high-level international meeting to

be held in Israel in October 2011, which will constitute a contribution to the preparations

for Rio+20, exploring how sustainable agriculture can contribute to a green economy,

addressing the importance of green agriculture in ensuring food security, mitigating

and adapting to climate change, and stimulating economic growth in the context of

sustainable development and poverty eradication.

10

INTRODUCING CHANGE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN

KUMASI, GHANA

WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY

AVIVA BEN HEFER HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN EDUCATION FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS, FIRST AS A TEACHER AND THEN AS A SUPERVISOR, ADVISOR FOR BUILDING CURRICULA IN EXPERIMENTAL

PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND TRAINING TEACHERS TO WORK IN TEAMS. HER SPECIALTY IS BUILDING

PROGRAMS FOR DEVELOPING THINKING SKILLS. SHE HAS CONDUCTED TRAINING COURSES

IN ECD IN MYANMAR AND THAILAND AND HAS BEEN IN CHARGE OF THE PROJECT OF

UPGRADING ECD IN KUMASI, UNDER THE AUSPICES OF MASHAV. SHE HAS BEEN THE

MAIN TRAINER IN THE PROJECT.

JANETTE HIRSCHMANN STARTED HER CAREER IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND WAS THE DIRECTOR OF MICHA, A CENTER FOR DEAF PRESCHOOLERS AND THEIR PARENTS. SHE HAS

BEEN THE DIRECTOR OF ECD TRAINING COURSES AT MCTC FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS. THIS

INVOLVED CHOOSING THE TOPICS, PLANNING THE PROGRAMS, COORDINATING THE TRAINING

AND TEACHING IN ISRAEL, ASIA, AFRICA, THE CARIBBEAN AND FIJI. SHE HAS LED THE

PROJECT IN KUMASI AND HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE PARTNER IN THE TRAINING OF THE TRAINERS.

11

AVIVA BEN HEFER AND JANETTE HIRSCHMAN

ducation is fundamental to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals

(MDGs) and national development because it is necessary both for the improvement

of living standards and for economic and technological advancement. The MDGs relating to

education are MDG 2, the purpose of which is to achieve universal primary education, and

MDG 3, which aims to eliminate gender disparity at all education levels by 2015.

In May 2003, the Ministry of Education and Sport in Ghana came out with an Education Strategy Plan (ESP) for 2003-2015. The ESP serves as the framework by which Ghana will

meet its commitments to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in Education.

Before 2003, preschool education for children aged 4-6 years was not part of the formal

system in Ghana. It was eventually included as a result of the recommendations made

by the President’s Committee on Review of Education Reforms (October 2002), where

the importance and the far-reaching effects of early childhood development were clearly

outlined.

In early 2006 the Millennium Cities Initiative (MCI) chose Kumasi as a Millennium City, and has since then been conducting research aimed at identifying the services, resources and

infrastructure needed for the people of Kumasi to attain the MDGs. Within this framework,

a successful partnership was forged between MCI-MASHAV and the Kumasi Metropolitan

Authorities.

MCI, together with Early Childhood Education specialists from the Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Center (MCTC), one of MASHAV’s core professional training

institutes, cooperated to develop a system of early childhood education with the goal of

implementing it in all public schools in Kumasi and its surroundings.

E

12

THE AIMS OF THE PROGRAM

The program was based on the following three aspects:

Empowerment of the teachers to believe that ECD is the basis of further education

and that their role is vital in this process. Their main role as kindergarten teachers

is to mediate between the child and the world around him.

Creating a rich and stimulating indoor and outdoor learning environment in the

kindergarten, bringing the outside world into the kindergarten for the child to

experience.

Building a flexible curriculum and daily schedule based on the child’s world

and providing opportunities for developing creativity and thinking skills in the

child.

THE REALITY AS WE SAW IT

The project began in 2008 by visiting and observing the kindergartens in Kumasi and mapping out the situation. The findings showed small, dark classrooms with up to 100

children crowded around tables, sitting on chairs of different heights. The children all faced

the teacher, who stood in front of them, holding a long cane and pointing it at English

letters on the blackboard. The children were expected to repeat, again and again, what the

teacher said in English, since that was the language of instruction. There were no books in

the classroom suitable to their culture, and stories were never read to them. The teachers,

who had been trained as primary school teachers, were using the same methodology that

they had learned at school, and were now emulating in the kindergarten.

THE KUMASI EDUCATION SYSTEM AND MCTC INTRODUCE A NEW CONCEPT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

Following a meeting with the Metro Director of Education in Kumasi and the MCI Project Manager in Ghana, it was decided that the first step of the program would be to bring the

Metro Director and her staff of four early childhood development coordinators to Israel to

see and learn a different way of organizing ECD. A two-year program was planned by the

Metro Director, her team and the MCTC staff for a core group of teachers who would become

12 13

teacher trainers in the future. The Director and her staff

decided. upon their return from Israel, that they would

choose five schools, with their 25 kindergarten teachers to

be the pilot group. A first Israeli team went to Kumasi to

train these kindergarten teachers.

PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM

The first realization was that children learn through play and experience. The main emphasis was on building a new

learning environment because we believe that a change of

environment will help to change the approach to the new

ideas. The new environment included activity corners for

socio-dramatic play, a book corner, a corner for creative

activities, blocks and table games, at different levels and

which could be used in different teaching situations.

This was done by actually building a kindergarten environment in the classroom. In order to turn theory

into reality, the teachers had to experience playing by

themselves in the different corners. This experience was

very important to them and they were very happy and

enthusiastic throughout.

In addition to this, the number of children in the class had to be reduced. The teachers identified the need to

write books presenting their own folk tales and cultural

heritage, and how to read them to the children. When the

teachers agreed to change the arrangement of the rooms

they enthusiastically collected toys and other materials for

the children to play with.

The professional program included the dispatch of Israeli expert teams to Kumasi to train the group of kindergarten

teachers for at least two weeks every few months. In

between, the ECD coordinators took it upon themselves

to support the kindergarten teachers in their efforts to

implement what they had learned.

Each training session was based on the previous knowledge learned and implemented in the kindergartens,

and following the teachers’ requests to solve any problems

they were having in implementing what they had learned.

The basic philosophy was that children learn through play and experience, therefore all the training was experiential,

providing many opportunities for the teachers to play. In all

aspects of the workshop, theory was learned from the active

involvement of the teachers. This training model observes

needs in the field, prioritizing the culture and traditions,

and emphasizing the need to examine the underlying

“why” and “how” questions of implementing the existing

Ghanaian ECD curriculum.

RESULTS AND OUTCOME

The Ghanaian professional team, the Metro Director and her staff are partners every step of the way. They share in

the planning, supervision, implementation and evaluation

of this unique program. In the time since the program

started, great changes have been seen in the kindergartens.

The number of children in each class has been reduced, and

there is more space in the classroom, the arrangement is

more flexible and the learning environment has changed

to include relevant “talking walls”, display of the children’s

work and activity centers. Reading books has become

part of the daily schedule, and at least twice a week the

room is organized for free play. The kindergarten reflects

the integrative program of all the domains, allowing the

children to learn through active participation, playing in

small groups, learning to return toys and materials to their

place.

The children enter the classroom in a creative and active manner, as a way of awakening expectations and

excitement, and they are greeted by the teacher. The role

of the teacher has changed from being a disciplinarian

to being less authoritative, and more at the children’s

level. Teachers work with the children in small groups, ask

questions and listen to their answers rather than expecting

them to learn only through repetition. They have also

discovered that they can make table games such as lotto

and “route games” at different levels, and have learned

the joy of constructing jigsaw puzzles from old calendar

pictures. The role of the classroom attendant has also

changed from a cleaning woman to a partner in running

the daily program.

It was decided to ask Kumasi’s St. Louis Teacher Training College’s ECD lecturers to act as supervisors and support

14

the teachers. They participated in three of the Kumasi

workshops, together with the kindergarten teachers. At

a later stage, ten teacher trainers, including the Principal

and Deputy Principal of the St. Louis Teacher Training

College, came to Israel for a specially designed workshop,

where they were exposed to different ECD frameworks. The

third step was a one-week workshop in the College for all

the ECD lecturers as well as for 75 ECD students who had

completed their formal studies and were going to practice

teaching in the kindergartens.

We understood that it was very important to work together with the staff of the Training College in order to

increase the number of trained teachers in the field, who

had gone through the process of change.

The project has been expanded to include five more schools in the Kumasi area, with a further 25 kindergarten

teachers, each of whom has been adopted by one of

the more experienced teachers in the pilot project. Fifty

kindergarten teachers in Kumasi are in the process of

change.

FUTURE PLANNING

In 2011 the first group of graduates of our kindergartens entered first grade. In a small survey done with the first-

grade teachers, the information showed that the graduates

of the project came to school better prepared and with more

confidence. The professional team and the kindergarten

teachers are so proud of their achievements. They are

motivated and determined to change their way of teaching

and provide a good start in life for their pupils. They feel

that they are pioneers, and are becoming proficient so that

they can spread their knowledge.

MCI has recently declared Accra as its newest Millennium City. Future planning includes replicating

in Accra the MASHAV-MCI’s ECD program as being

presently implemented in Kumasi; with the ultimate goal

of expanding the model to the whole country following a

national education strategy. Change is a long and difficult

process, but, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

14

he agricultural sector has a significant part in developing countries’ economy.

About 75 percent of the world’s poor and hungry people live in rural areas and

most of them depend directly or indirectly on agriculture. Ninety-six per cent of the world’s

farmers live in developing countries, where agriculture provides the main source of income

for some 2.5 billion people. Agricultural employees represent over 70 percent of the labor

force in developing countries, compared to 30 percent in middle-income countries and only

4 percent in developed countries.

In developing countries, the majority of the agricultural sector consists of small farms. Population growth, increased competition and depletion of land and water sources in recent

years has caused increased poverty and triggered migration from villages to cities.

The attempts made by the local governments and the international community to improve small farmers’ yield, income and standards of living may face the following obstacles:

The allocated resources (subsidies, loans, etc.) do not reach the desired beneficiaries;

Improper use of the resources (money and equipment) by the farmers;

Inadequate agronomic extension services. Several aspects, including plant material,

water and soil conditions, the quality of fertilizers, post-harvest treatments and marketing

of products, are barely addressed.

Addressing the above-mentioned obstacles should achieve the following targets:

Increased percentage of empowered small farmers;

Better agricultural use of increased acreage;

Increased income for the farmers and improved living standards;

Correct use of fertilizers, pesticides, etc. and prevention of waste and environmental

damage.

Significant change in farmers’ income in rural areas of developing countries requires a comprehensive approach. The solution for smallholders’ agriculture in developing countries

should address all the aspects of agriculture including recruitment and allocation of finance,

USAID-MASHAV-MOA JOINT TECHNICAL PROGRAM

EMPOWERING SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN ETHIOPIA

THE WRITER IS A MASHAV AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT EXPERT CURRENTLY STATIONED

IN ETHIOPIA. HE HOLDS A PHD IN BOTANY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE USA

(HAVING PREVIOUSLY STUDIED HORTICULTURE AND PLANT TISSUE CULTURE AT THE HEBREW

UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM) AND HAS VAST EXPERIENCE IN PRODUCTION, RESEARCH,

MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ROLES IN THE AREAS OF PLANT PROPAGATION

.AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, BOTH IN ISRAEL AND OVERSEAS

DR. AVIHAI ILAN

T

15

16 17

Solutions for horticultural crops in small farms:

Focusing on the development of horticultural plant

propagation through nursery cultivation and tissue

culture propagation.

(Pictures: Dr. Avihai Ilan)

16 17

soil and irrigation systems, better crops and plant material

supply, agro-techniques, agricultural extension, post-

harvesting and marketing. The current international aid to

developing countries by international agencies, national aid

organizations and NGOs address separately many of the

agricultural aspects but in a non-coordinated manner.

Effective tackling of the wide scope of agricultural aspects

can be achieved by collaboration between the various aid

organizations.

THE USAID-MASHAV-MOA JOINT TECHNICAL PROGRAM

In order to face this smallholders’ crisis, local governments in cooperation with the international community are

investing in promoting programs to assist and empower

smallholder farmers. Ethiopia’s rural development policy

and strategies prioritize the transformation of smallholder

subsistence agriculture to market-orientated production.

Within this framework, a successful partnership called The Joint Technical Program in Ethiopia was created by

three partners: MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

USAID – The United States Agency for International Development; and MoA – The Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia.

The smallholders’ agriculture in Ethiopia is focused on supplying the basic needs through rain-fed cultivation of

field crops such as wheat, maize, sorghum and teff. These

crops are susceptible to weather conditions and various

types of abiotic stress, and the cultivation of a single rain-

fed crop is risky.

The addition of fruits and vegetables crops to the smallholders’ production basket can greatly improve

their economic situation and avoid the risks involved in

monoculture. It can be seen as a kind of “insurance policy”

to the small farmer. Even without transition to irrigated

crops, fruits and vegetables such as avocado, citrus, potato,

sweet potato, enset, cassava and mango can provide

additional nutrition as well as additional source of

income. Successful cultivation of fruit trees should

address various aspects such as soil preparation,

plant material, irrigation and fertilizer

application, plant protection, harvesting and post-harvesting, and marketing.

The USAID-MASHAV-MoA Joint Technical Program in Ethiopia addresses the first

and crucial step in horticulture, i.e. the

supply of elite plant material via advanced

vegetative propagation methods: modern nursery and

micro-propagation.

The program’s nurseries produce high-yielding and marketable international varieties of avocado and mango.

Various rootstocks are introduced for adaptation to different

soil and water conditions and for tolerance to soil-borne

diseases. The nursery production relies on advanced

and yet sustainable irrigation and fertilizer application

methods, integrated pest management, quality control

and production planning. The program upgrades small

research laboratories for tissue culture into production on a

semi-commercial scale by the application of quality control

methods, production planning and production follow-up.

The USAID-MASHAV-MoA Joint Technical Program demonstrates a unique and successful approach for the

empowerment of small farmers through the development of

horticultural crops production, focusing on the development

of plant propagation in Ethiopia through nursery cultivation

and tissue culture propagation.

This goal is achieved by introducing and supplying improved facilities, equipment and materials as well as

intensive capacity building activities. The joint program

demonstrates large-scale plant production with timely

production planning and quality control inspections.

Through collaboration with other international and national aid agencies the Joint Technical Program’s scope

will increase to cover additional aspects of fruit tree and

vegetable cultivation, enabling empowerment of small-

holders through addressing horticultural production in a

coordinated and resource-saving manner, and contribute

to achieving food security and income generation, as

well as diversification of the diet. In its recent meeting,

the project’s Steering Committee decided to widen the

scope of the project’s support to Ethiopian horticulture

and to establish an extension system for 1,000 smallholder

fruit-tree growers. The aim is to train extension personnel

to guide and train the target farmers in the future. Special

attention and training will be given to women and

youth groups.

19

o sum up the experiences of a group of 108 youngsters who had the opportunity to

travel to the other end of the world, to study and in some cases reorient their beliefs,

values, convictions and even their life’s work, is a complex task!

Four years ago, as an initiative of the Fundación Liceo Internacional and the Ministry of Education we presented to the Israeli Embassy in Ecuador and the Aharon Ofri International

Training Center a small project prepared by two Ofri Center alumni - Former Minister

of Education Raúl Vallejo and Marco Dávila. This led to realization of the dream of 20

youngsters from poor communities in the central provinces of the Sierra: To take part in a

process for training young leaders from the provinces of Cotopaxi, Chimborazo and Bolívar.

Following a joint evaluation of the work carried out by this first group of youngsters, and the impact of their activities when they returned to their communities, it was decided to

continue the project and extend it to other cities in the country.

Currently, the proposal has been channeled towards interculturality, and this is the direction that we will maintain in future years, with the inclusion of 50% of participants from

our indigenous peoples.

During these four years of cooperation, the State of Israel has always encouraged us to continue the project. Something that began as a proposal to be implemented in

three provinces has become a large national project with transcendent influence in the

youngsters’ cities of origin.

The course, held at the Ofri Center in the outskirts of Jerusalem, lasts 28 days, and offers a curriculum which we are adapting year-by-year to our country’s needs. The basic subjects

cover, inter alia, young leadership, sustainable development, conflict resolution, prevention

of risky sexual attitudes, consumption of alcohol, illegal drugs, HIV-AIDS, interculturality,

and development of community projects.

The academic structure of the course is accompanied by a series of educational and sightseeing visits, offering the youngsters the possibility of learning about the history,

culture, and lifestyle of the Israeli people. This allows the participants to reflect, compare,

and learn about our own country. Although Ecuador, unlike Israel, has rich natural resources,

some of the most abundant water resources in the world, oil production, rich biodiversity

and fertile lands, it faces great developmental challenges.

To tackle development challenges, it becomes clear that the main resource that peoples must foster is the human resource, since only through education will we be able to utilize

what we have, taking into consideration our future generations.

In these four years we have trained 108 young people from the provinces of Imbabura, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Chimborazo, Bolívar, Cañar, Azuay, Loja, Zamora, Morona,

Galápagos, Manabí and el Oro.

DEVELOPING THE HUMAN RESOURCE: YOUNG LEADERS OF ECUADOR

CAROLINA DÁVILA EGÜEZ AND MARCO DÁVILA ALARCÓN

T

18

19

The youngsters are selected in each of their localities by NGOs, local governments, associations, youth groups and former participants, always taking into account a basic

element: “the desire to change the world, dreaming that it is possible.”

The final part of the training process in Israel is the implementation of a project which each participant must carry out individually or as part of a group on their return to their

communities. For this they were trained, receiving over 60 methodological tools, 180 hours

of academic training, visits to a series of successful projects that can be copied, allowing

them to intervene with their peers, with children, with adults. In other words, they have

become agents of change.

About 90% of our young people have accomplished their work; have given back what they received. Today we have a series of projects that have been and are being carried out

throughout their provinces, so that we feel that this effort has been well rewarded.

THE AHARON OFRI INTERNATIONAL TRAINING CENTERA WINDOW TO INNOVATIONS IN EDUCATION

The Aharon Ofri International Training Center was established in 1989 by Haigud Society for Transfer of Technology, as a professional affiliate of MASHAV. The Ofri Center works in cooperation with Israel’s

Ministry of Education. Since its establishment, the Ofri Center has trained thousands of participants from

all over the world, introducing them to the wealth of knowledge and experience accumulated in Israel, and

presented by top experts in the field of social development, contributing to the sustainable development of

human resources.

The main area of activities is in the field of education. The Center offers a holistic and inclusive approach to education-related issues, the belief being that education should be flexible and adapt itself to the

individual. The Center focuses on learning at all levels, from elementary and secondary school to adult

education, and provides professional training for developing basic skills, civic awareness and education

for special populations. The Ofri Center trains key personnel and agents of change in education in capacity

building programs in Israel and conducts consulting missions and workshops abroad, aiming to transfer the

knowledge gained in Israel in a manner that best suits the partner country’s development strategies.

Among the successful projects is the Vivamos la Fiesta en Paz (Let us Celebrate the Holiday Peacefully) Campaign, the main proposal that the country has currently on prevention

of alcohol consumption, a project managed entirely

byformer participants in the project. The campaign is being

currently carried out in the cities of Quito, Cuenca, Manta,

Ibarra, Guaranda, Latacunga, Riobamba, Galápagos,

Tosagua, Guanujo, Gualaceo and Chone. Another project,

entitled “Tincuyachaicuna Leadership Schools”, is being

carried out in the rural parishes of Sayausí and Ricaurte, in

Cuenca; and a dance school for at-risk children and youth,

was established in the Parish of Zámbiza, in Quito.

To live the experience of being trained in Israel is like a never-ending journey; each of us chooses the point to which

we wish to arrive; all is part of the blessing of learning and

sharing, of changing and improving, of reorienting this

great ship of dreams and reality.

When we asked the young people what they are taking from this experience, the answers differ as widely as the

youngsters. They speak of the Israeli people, of leaving

the beaten track, they speak of the Walled City, the Holy

Sites, the history, acceptance and peaceful coexistence,

punctuality, beginning the week on Sunday, Shabbat

experiences, security, the true social welfare system. They

express great admiration for a country, with limited natural

resources and of the size of Manabí, with more than 70%

desert, with very little annual rain, with a sole freshwater

source, a relatively new state, and yet it has learned that

its most important resource is the human resource and the

essential value incorporated into a single value: Mutual responsibility.

20

UPGRADING EMERGENCY MEDICAL INFRASTRUCTURES

21

mergency medical services involve rapid assessment, timely provision of appropriate

interventions, and prompt transportation to the nearest health facility by the best

possible means to improve chances of survival, control morbidity and prevent disability. The

goal of an effective emergency medical system should therefore be to make emergency care

available to all who need it. However, despite the existence of the new technologies required

to address emergency medical situations, access to such facilities is not available in many

parts of the developing world.

One of the main components of emergency medical care is related to the care provided on arrival at the receiving health facility. Therefore, it is critical to recognize infrastructure

gaps that hinder the ability of health systems to make emergency and surgical care a reality.

Health care facilities differ widely in respect of equipment, staff and resources, and they

consequently possess varying capacities to provide emergency care. A health care facility’s

capacity is determined by both human and structural factors.

Human factors include the number and mix of health care workers and their level of training. Structural factors include space, medications, supplies and specialized equipment.

The level of demand placed on the facility by the surrounding population may also dictate

which services are offered and whether they can be accessed at short notice.

The effort to increase access to emergency care in developing countries has received global attention. Emergency Medicine and National Disaster Preparedness are disciplines

which have been given priority on the agendas of the majority of both developed and

developing countries. Joining the international community’s efforts of implementing the

Millennium Development Goals and based on the Israeli experience gained in these fields,

MASHAV serves as a bridge between Israel’s medical community and the developing world, designing and implementing professional activities characterized by a long-term

approach, focusing on the delivery of suitable medical services, particularly in rural regions.

All of MASHAV’s medical projects are coordinated by an in-house medical advisor who is

in charge of all medical activities, health missions and humanitarian assistance, including

organizing immediate response in the face of natural and manmade disasters. Projects

include training activities both in Israel and abroad, professional consultations, and the

establishment of long-term sustainable infrastructural facilities.

The key to achieving such sustainability is to provide partner countries with technologies on a manageable scale. In addition, every project includes assisting in the process of reforms

being implemented at the administrative and organizational levels, as well as concentration

on human and institutional capacity building (including extensive professional training)

and long-term follow-up and support activities.

Following is a short overview of two projects involving the upgrading of emergency medical infrastructures: the first in Kisumu, Kenya, and the second in Cap-Haitiën, Haiti.

AVNIT RIFKIN

E

22 23

Hospitals play a key role during emergencies, and must be among the best prepared alongside public safety services. The people of Kisumu can now receive quality emergency

care at Kisumu District Hospital, since a team of 10 Israeli engineers recently completed the

construction of the hospital’s – first-of-its-kind and fully-equipped emergency room.

Kisumu, the capital of Nyanza Province in western Kenya, was designated as a Millennium City (MCI) by the Earth Institute at Columbia University in 2006. It is the third largest city in

Kenya and the only one located in Western Kenya. Positioned on the Gulf of Lake Victoria,

with a population of about 460,000. Following an MCI survey, results showed that there

was an urgent need to invest in the city’s health infrastructure. Continuing the successful

cooperation between MCI and MASHAV, it was decided to examine the possibility of

establishing an emergency room at Kisumu’s District Hospital.

The work was carried out in a record three weeks, by engineering and medical teams from Clalit Health Services, the largest health organization in Israel. Prior to their arrival,

MASHAV had shipped all vital supplies for the project, from state-of-the-art ER monitoring

equipment down to construction materials.

Once the ER’s physical structure was completed and stocked with all the necessary supplies, MASHAV organized professional medical training activities in emergency care

for 41 local professionals (doctors, nurses, clinical officers, medical officer interns and

paramedics in emergency medicine). The skills acquired will enable Kisumu’s medical

professionals to better respond to emergencies and traumas, significantly improving the

level of care available in the city and its periphery.

The new ER will provide not only regional emergency treatment, but also regional medical training. It now serves as the center of the city’s emergency response, hosting

multiple training sessions for other medical professionals throughout the city and

surrounding region.

Up

gra

din

g E

merg

ency

Ca

re i

n K

isum

u,

Ken

ya

22 23

Upg

radi

ng E

mer

genc

y Medi

cal Infrastructures

24 25

Est

ab

lish

ing a

Tra

um

a &

Em

erg

ency

Med

icin

e

Cente

r in

Ha

iti

The devastating earthquake that hit Haiti in 2010 severely damaged the country’s medical infrastructures, denying basic medical care to the population. From the moment the news of the tragedy broke, the State of Israel resolved to assist Haiti in whatever way it could.

When international efforts moved from the phase of rescue to recovery, MASHAV, in consultation with the Government of Haiti, began to develop projects specific to the needs of the people of Haiti. As part of this effort, and in accordance with the Haitian authorities’ rehabilitation plan, a special project for the establishment of a new trauma unit in the city of Cap-Haitiën commenced (population: 1.5 million), jointly designed and organized by the Israeli Government, the Office of the Haitian Prime Minister, and the Haitian Ministry of Health.

It was decided to implement the project within the grounds of St. Justinien Hospital, the second largest in the country, serving as a referral medical center, with the aim of preparing the hospital to respond in cases of mass casualty disasters and upgrading the emergency system infrastructure to improve treatment of ongoing cases.

An Israeli team comprising 12 experts, together with local workers, started working on the premises on March 16, 2011. All the equipment necessary to prepare the grounds (300 square meters) as well as the medical equipment needed to operate the Trauma Center was sent by sea from Israel. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new trauma unit took place two weeks later, at the end of March 2011.

The new Trauma Center includes an emergency room for routine treatment and a section for treatment of severe cases to be used during emergency situations, including state-of-the-art medical equipment (monitors, computers, artificial respiration instruments, defibrillators, and more).

Upon the completion of the structure, a team of four Israeli experts arrived in Cap-Haitiën on a two-week mission, to train over 40 local medical staff: doctors, nurses and technicians. The medical facility will be fully operated in the future solely by the local staff.

24 25

Upg

radi

ng E

mer

genc

y Medi

cal Infrastructures

26 27

THE PHILIPPINE-ISRAEL CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL TRAINING

SHAIKE STERN IS THE HEAD OF AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS ASIA-AFRICA AND OCEANIAAT CINADCO – THE CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTCOOPERATION. NAVOT HAKLAY IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE POULTRY DIVISION ATISRAEL’S MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

SHAIKE STERN AND NAVOT HAKLAY

T he Philippine-Israel Center for Agricultural Training (PICAT) was established in June 2006, following an agreement signed between MASHAV and the Philippine Ministry for Agrarian Reform (DAR), and in conjunction with Central Luzon State University

(CLSU) and the surrounding towns Munoz and San Isidro in Nueva Ecija District. The goal

of establishing a demonstration center in the Philippines was to integrate agricultural

extension with R&D, providing onsite training for Filipino field instructors in the areas of

vegetable production and livestock husbandry utilizing advanced and modern agricultural

technologies. The main components of the project are training of extension workers; the

creation of an extension/outreach system (including farm demonstrations, farmers’ field

schools/trainings, technical forums and field days); and Research and Development.

THE PROJECT’S MAIN OBJECTIVES: To establish a Regional Extension Center, coordinating between the university and the

Agrarian Reform and Agriculture regional/local field units;

To re-tool local government extension personnel in extension methods and recommended

agricultural technologies for more effective and efficient extension delivery and

outreach;

To conduct field trials in the university and the pilot areas to yield technologies that can

potentially improve farm productivity, profitability and sustainability;

To establish, based on the results of field trials, farm demonstration plots in order to

trigger wider technology dissemination and utilization;

To contribute to increased productivity, income and living standards of farm families and

their communities.

26 27

STAGE 1 THE PROJECT

During the first stage of the project, a cadre of 35 agricultural instructors was trained, from the governmental

and local sectors. The training consisted of two parts: a

four-month theoretical training in vegetable and livestock

production, and eight months’ practical training, including

establishing model plots and greenhouses utilizing modern

Israeli agro-technologies and drip irrigation systems, both

in the university grounds and at local farms. The results

showed significant water-saving and improved crops.

The project was managed professionally by several senior agronomists from the CLSU teaching staff and was

supervised by a long-term Israeli professional expert sent

by MASHAV, who managed the project for a year.

The project was very successful in many areas, especially with regard to the professional training of the agricultural

instructors; the transfer of know-how from the instructor to

the farmer, and particularly for introducing innovation and

professionalism.

STAGE 2EXPANDING THE PROJECT

In 2009 a new agreement was signed between MASHAV and the Philippines Ministry for Agrarian Reform calling for

expanding the model to eight additional provinces in Central

Luzon (Region III). Within this framework of cooperation,

MASHAV dispatched four short-term delegations of experts

and conducted on-the-spot courses in order to reinforce the

skills of the local instructors. Several especially designed

courses on vegetable production were also held in Israel,

at CINADCO Shefayim, for the instructors and professional

consultants and for the directors of the different projects.

MASHAV’s involvement in the project includes purchase of seeds produced in Israel which serve the local instructors

for the practical training they conduct at the project’s

designated farms. These act as demonstration farms for

agricultural crops using Israeli innovative growing methods

and seeds.

During the years 2007 to 2009, the PICAT project became a showcase for innovative Israeli agricultural technologies,

and received several government awards from the

Philippines Ministry for Agrarian Reform. This recognition is

an expression of the quality of the project and the successful

cooperation existing between the two countries. The

new Minister for Agrarian Reform recently visited

the PICAT project and expressed his wish to continue

this successful cooperation for years to come.

28 29

THE WRITER IS THE DIRECTOR OF TRAINING AT THE WEITZ INSTITUTE FORDEVELOPMENT STUDIES

A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO SLUM UPGRADING

YOSSI OFFER

oday, considering that more than half of the world’s population lives in cities and urban areas, and that this rate is expected to reach 60% by 2030, slum upgrading

has become one of the main challenges of the developing world. According to The United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat), it is estimated that one billion people live in slums in the cities of the world – one sixth of the human population – and that the numbers are rising.

Slums are distinguished by the poor quality of housing, the poverty of the inhabitants, the lack of public and private services and the poor integration of the inhabitants into the

broader community and its opportunities. Social exclusion, lack of empowerment, less

access to education, and social and health services make it very difficult for slum dwellers

to do more than survive, sometimes in reasonable, if insecure, conditions, but just as often

in poverty and despair.

Considering the magnitude of the problem, even where governments and development aid is available for slum upgrading, there are simply not enough resources to make a real difference for most of the world’s slum dwellers. In this context, partnerships between the public and private sector are required, including forming coalitions between international agencies, cities and action groups acting in a concerted way and with the benefit of knowledge of past successes and failures to deal with the challenge of slums. Holistic approaches to the life situation of slum dwellers are being developed as part of city strategies and with the direct participation of the slum dwellers themselves.

The conditions in poor urban areas in Israel are considerably different from slum areas and informal settlements in developing and transitional countries. Yet, the Weitz Center’s experience shows that the experience gained in Israel is relevant to slum upgrading in developing countries, notably the comprehensive approach and the mechanisms of public-private partnerships in urban upgrading and revitalization processes.

The Weitz Center for Development Studies, established in 1963, is a global leader in capacity building for sustainable development. The Center’s work is dedicated to enhancing the efforts of international agencies, governments, communities, civil society and private sector organizations to achieve positive social and economic change worldwide. Towards this end, we offer high quality training and consulting services to clients across a variety of sectors and levels.

The Center’s mission is to provide clients with practical tools, cutting edge knowledge and hands-on experience to improve the performance of their policies, programs and projects in achieving sustainable development and poverty reduction.

T

28 29

MASHAV cooperates with the Weitz Center sharing with developing countries the knowledge acquired in Israel in this field, adapting a working plan to each country’s specific conditions, and implementing objectives through an extensive program of training, research, planning and consultancy activities.

In July 2011, the Weitz Center in cooperation with MASHAV and UN-Habitat (a world leader in promoting sustainable urban development and adequate shelter for all, focusing on slum upgrading as one of its key areas) jointly organized a 30-day professional training program aimed at enabling participants to acquire practical tools for the design and implementation of different strategies to slum upgrading.

Thirty one participants from 15 countries arrived in Israel to take part in the program. The curriculum presented a comprehensive approach for slum upgrading, including the formation of partnerships between the public and private sectors and relevant, financial and organizational tools for its implementation, with the aim of integrating aspects of infrastructure, living conditions, land ownership, environmental considerations, services systems and delivery, human capital and community development, and economic activities, into one comprehensive development process.

A general consensus is slowly emerging that comprehensive slum upgrading schemes and the formulation of larger development strategies, are the recommended best practice for slums’ upgrading. Establishing secure tenure, public health and sustainability, advancing gender equality and – especially – partnerships for poverty reduction will significantly contribute to reach Millennium Development Goal number 7: To achieve by 2020 a significant improvement in the lives of 100 million slum dwellers.

SHALOM CLUBS

The Embassy of Israel held its annual

Shalom Club meeting in December

at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi. More

than 100 participants from all over the country

attended the event. Distinguished guests

included Minister of Justice Mutula Kilonzo,

Deputy Minister of Education Calist Mwatela,

and Head of the Education Committee at

Kenya’s Parliament David Koech.

The event saw the closing ceremony of a MASHAV

on-the-spot course on “Prevention of Drug and

Alcohol Abuse” which was conducted by Israeli

experts in conjunction with National Campaign

against Drug Abuse Authority in Kenya. H.E.

Jacob Keidar, Israel’s Ambassador to Kenya,

mentioned the fruitful cooperation existing

TH

E P

HIL

IPP

INE

S

MASHAV maintains contact with many of its former course participants through its network of more than 70 Shalom Clubs worldwide. These clubs serve as a forum for MASHAV alumni to participate in professional and social activities. Members are invited to attend local lectures by skilled experts, to exchange ideas and to organize technical cooperation and humanitarian assistance as well as holding cultural functions. Among the many activities that have been organized by Shalom Clubs have been workshops on professional topics, organization of events to raise funds for local charities, mobilization of club members to donate their professional services for community development and humanitarian activities. Members of the Shalom Clubs play an integral role in determining the focus and scope of programming of their clubs.

between the two countries, and the desire to

strive for the improvement of the livelihoods

of many Kenyans through capacity building

programs in the fields of Agriculture & Rural

Development, Social Economic Development,

Rural and Urban Development, Education and

Health, all of which are basic components for

development.

The Embassy of Israel in Manila in

coordination with the Shalom Club

Philippines donated wheelchairs and

additional medical equipment to the Jose R.

Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMCC) in

Manila in January. Representing the hospital

was Dr. Ma. Alicia M. Lim, the Medical Center

Director. Also present were H.E. Zvi A. Vapni,

Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines; Deputy

Chief of Mission Yaniv Revach and Ms. Zeny Y.

KE

NYA

30

Ubaldo, President of the Shalom Club. Dr. Eric de

Jesus, the Chairman of the JRRMCC’s orthopedic

department, expressed his appreciation for the

donation.

The MASHAV Shalom Club in Myanmar

was formed eight years ago, and counts

more than 200 members. The annual

meeting of Shalom Club took place at Myanmar-

Info-Tech in Yangon in March, in collaboration

with the Embassy of Israel. Ambassador of

Israel to Myanmar, H.E. Yaron Mayer, gave

the opening remarks, and was followed by

a short film about Israel and MASHAV. During

the evening, members of the Shalom Club

shared their experiences from their stay in

Israel and discussed further MASHAV-Shalom

Club activities. A musical performance and

refreshments concluded the event.

A group of members of the Shalom Club

Peru joined the volunteer members of

the Emergency System Institution in

Peru. They participated in a National Earthquake

Simulation Drill at the National Emergency

Center during which they simulated offering

assistance to people in need.

In June the Shalom Club Paraguay

participated, for the 13th time, in the

traditional Teleton Feast held at the

Metropolitan Seminary of Asunción. Shalom

Club members, together with the cultural

society Friends of Israel and the Paraguay

Chapter of WIZO (The Women’s International

Zionist Organization) contributed traditional

Israeli dishes including humous, falafel and

other delicacies.

The Teleton Foundation is a non-profit

organization providing services and support to

children with disabilities. Its mission is to build

an inclusive society through the development

of a national system of rehabilitation. The

Teleton Feast is a yearly fund-raising event in

which over 200 amateur chefs prepare and sell

original dishes. The Shalom Club members’

stand, festively decorated with the flags of Israel

and Paraguay, included the presence of Israel’s

Honorary Consul to Paraguay Max Haber, and

other distinguished guests.

PE

RU

PA

RA

GU

AY

MYA

NM

AR

31

MASHAVhttp: / /mashav.mfa.gov.il New

s

ISRAEL AND GERMANY SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon and German Federal

Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Dirk

Niebel signed in January a joint Declaration of Intent aimed

at increasing bilateral cooperation to assist developing

nations. They discussed the continuation and enhancement

of cooperation and assistance to developing countries,

following the agreement signed last year, and reviewed

progress in the implementation of projects in Ethiopia and

Ghana, deciding on a new joint project: the rehabilitation

of Lake Victoria. The lake, one of the sources of the Nile,

is a strategic resource, and as a large source of water and

fish it provides a income and livelihood to local residents.

Germany and Israel have decided to cooperate and to assist

Kenya in its efforts to rehabilitate the regions adjacent to

the lake, which has been severely contaminated.

MASHAV cooperates closely with its German counterpart:

An irrigation and water management project is already

under way in Ethiopia, as well as a citrus growing project in

Ghana. Both parties are currently examining the possibility

of extending cooperation to Central Asia.

Deputy FM Ayalon (left) and German Federal Minister Niebel

sign agreement (Photo: MFA)

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENT

Israel has officially reopened its embassy in Ghana.

Israel’s ambassador in Accra, Sharon Bar-Li, presented

her credentials to Ghana’s President John Evans Atta Mills.

In her speech, Ambassador Bar-Li noted that this event

marks the deepening of the historic relations between

ISRAEL REOPENS EMBASSY IN GHANA

Photo

: MFA

An MOU was signed in January between MASHAV and

the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). The MOU

states that MASHAV and WFP share a common commitment

toward the fulfillment of the MDGs and share the burden

of eradicating hunger worldwide, helping to foster

stability and security. The two organizations wish

MASHAV AND WFP SIGN MOU

to share their respective strengths and resources to

support initiatives that advance their common goal to

improve the lives of the world’s poor. Israel’s Foreign

Minister Avigdor Liberman signed on behalf of MASHAV,

and Executive Director Josette Sheeran signd on behalf of

WFP.

the two states. MASHAV is active in Ghana in a variety of

fields including development projects in the areas of

health, water and sanitation, early childhood education

and agriculture.

32 MASHAVhttp: / /mashav.mfa.gov.il News

France’s Ambassador to Israel, Christophe Bigot,

and Head of MASHAV Ambassador Daniel

Carmon signed in September on behalf of their

countries a Declaration of Intent on a Partnership

for Development Cooperation. The two countries

declared their wish to establish a framework for

collaborative efforts on programs and activities

to commence by the end of 2011, enabling

them to identify common interests and priorities.

The objective of this cooperation is to enhance

income generation, inclusive development and

pro-poor growth. The first phase will include joint

development activities in Cameroon, Senegal,

Ghana, Burkina Faso and Haiti. Head of MASHAV Ambassador Daniel Carmon (right) and France’s

Ambassador to Israel Christophe Bigot sign the agreement

ISRAEL AND FRANCE SIGN DECLARATION OF INTENT

CEMAC-ISRAEL PARTNERSHIP

A Technical Cooperation Agreement was signed in

January in Yaounde, Cameroon, between CEMAC

– The Economic and Monetary Union of Central

African States, and the government of Israel, to

work in synergy in the production of pesticides

with the goal of stepping up agricultural

production in the Sub-region.

According to the terms of the agreement,

Israel will share its wealth of knowledge

in pesticides regulation with CPAC (The

Inter-States Pesticides Committee for Central

Africa) to boost agricultural production while

preserving the environment and the health of

local consumers, as well as in enhancing the

competitiveness of local agricultural produce on

the international market.Chairman of the CEMAC Commission Antoine Ntsimi (left) and Israel’s

Ambassador to Cameroon Miki Arbel (right) at the signing ceremony

Two Israeli agricultural experts offered in February

a capacity building workshop for Ethiopian farmers and

dairy cooperatives in the Assella Arsi zone, Oromia Regional

State, and in Addis Ababa. The professional training

took place within the framework of the existing

Memorandum of Understanding between MASHAV

and the FAO Sub Regional Coordination Office for Eastern

Africa (SFE).

MASHAV-FAO COOPERATION IN ETHIOPIA

The workshop focused mainly on strengthening the local

dairy cooperatives and unions, including the introduction

of modern production technologies as well as farm

management techniques and best practices for marketing

produce. The goal of the workshop was to identify the best

ways to increase the level of small-scale dairy production

and maintai