Croatia: 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: To generate new, sustainable job opportunities for people with physical and mental disabilities.

Response: Patterned on the J-Fund previously established in Bosnia and Herzegovina, an interest-free revolving loan fund was established in 2006 for the Jewish community of Osijek, Croatia, that is now part of the J-Fund network. With a payback period of up to five years, the small loans awarded by the fund to applicant NGOs have supported the development of demanding yet profitable jobs for individuals with muscular dystrophy, deaf individuals, paraplegics, and people with mental disabilities.

Need: To provide recreational activities and a summer respite to children at risk in Croatia.

Response: In cooperation with the Jewish community of Zagreb, since 2004 JDC has been underwriting a non-sectarian summer camp session for at-risk children at the community campsite at Pirovac on the Adriatic seacoast. The two-week session is led by government social workers and arts and crafts specialists from the Jewish community.

Learn more about other JDC-IDP programs.