Myanmar: Non-Sectarian Programs

Since their inception, JDC’s non-sectarian efforts in the form of the International Development Program (JDC-IDP) have been carried out in more than 60 countries by offering humanitarian aid to those who have suffered from man-made and natural disasters such as earthquakes, famine, extreme poverty, political instability, and war.

JDC-IDP addresses victims’ emergency needs and then provides longer-term rehabilitation and development assistance. Training is an essential part of those efforts, as JDC-IDP works to enhance the abilities of local partners and to ensure that the projects continue even after JDC’s involvement has ended.


Need: In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis pummeled the cost of Myanmar (formerly Burma), destroying 95 percent of area homes. The disaster affected more than 2.4 million people, many of whom were initially inaccessible to relief teams because transportation and communication networks had been wiped out.

Response: With the help of local volunteers and the Israeli government, JDC-IDP succeeded in reaching the devastated areas, bringing in food, water, medical aid, and trained rescue workers. Long-term assistance continues with programs dedicated to microloans for small businesses, home and school construction, and the building of storm-fortified shelters to mitigate the impact of future storms on this sea-dependent community. JDC is also supporting Pact—an NGO that provides microfinance loans and has developed a broad network of organizations throughout the devastated region—in a livelihoods program that issues cash grants for initiatives aimed at regaining economic self-sufficiency. 




China: Non-Sectarian Programs

Need: In May 2008, China’s worst earthquake in more than 30 years devastated Sichuan and eight other southwestern provinces, leaving more than 70,000 people dead, hundreds of thousands injured, and millions displaced from their homes.

Response: JDC-IDP supported a partnership initiative between Israel’s Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development and the All China Federation of Supply Marketing Cooperatives to institute training programs for agricultural business development and entrepreneurship promotion in rural areas of Sichuan. An April 2009 workshop held in Shandong province was attended by 47 managers of agricultural co-ops in China, who learned how their counterparts in Israel are able to leverage the cooperative framework into funding for agricultural development. In October 2009, a group of 22 Chinese professionals went to Israel for further training. 

Learn about other JDC-IDP programs.