T H E S TAT E | P H I L A N T H R O P Y
Impact Around the Globe Leading the OKC-based World Neighbors, Kate Schecter helps communities across the world.
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ate Schecter, PhD, had a passion for international development long before becoming president and CEO of World Neighbors – an Oklahoma City nonprofit that works to address poverty, disease and hunger in 13 Asian, African, Latin American and Caribbean countries. When Schecter was a child, her family moved to Moscow, where she learned to speak Russian. In college, she researched healthcare in various countries, eventually earning a doctorate from Columbia University. Schecter later returned to Russia to work with the American International Health Alliance for nearly 14 years. In 2014, Schecter discovered World Neighbors after receiving a recruitment letter from the organization. World Neighbors has served over 28 million people in 45 countries since its establishment in 1951. However, its holistic, big-picture approach is what caught Schecter’s attention. “We never give away in-kind donations of food or clothing,” says Schecter. World Neighbors doesn’t focus on one particular problem, either. Instead, the organization relies on the feedback of the communities it serves to better understand their needs. Based on their feedback, World Neighbors provides training and education in sustainable farming, gender equality, reproductive and community health, and resource management. “I saw that this methodology was really addressing a lot of the issues that I had seen as problems before,” says Schecter. “That’s what attracted me to the job.” Since joining World Neighbors, Schecter
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2021
Kate Schecter has visited each of the countries World Neighbors serves. Photo courtesy World Neighbors
invest in their community through its savings has made many adjustments to further its and credits program. mission. Early on, she proposed and adopted World Neighbors has placed equal emphaa business model that has streamlined the sis on improving community and reproducorganization’s administrative costs and tive health around the world. Some of its efexpanded its field work. forts include helping install In 2016, she raised bio-sand water filters and funds for the organization clean toilets in villages, to become independent, along with organizing and in 2018, she secured health fairs where people two grants from the Starcan get medical treatment bucks Foundation. These and vaccinations. grants enabled World You don’t have to Now, the organization is Neighbors to help 3,000 looking at expanding into travel overseas to befamilies in Guatemala. another African country, During her tenure, come well-informed Malawi. Schecter says Schecter has traveled to on world issues. World Neighbors has reall countries served to Schecter encourages ceived multiple requests for observe the impact of the everyone to pick a assistance there, and the programs firsthand. She country of personal nonprofit plans on providsays that World Neighbors interest and learn ing support in agriculture has especially made a difmore about it. and business development. ference for women living “You can do it by Anytime World Neighin these remote villages. watching movies about bors expands into a new “World Neighbors is those countries [or]… community, it stays there very focused on … helping for an average of 8–10 years women to have their own through novels and with the intent of promotincomes, to have a voice literature,” she says. ing sustainable, long-lastin the community, to beThe first step to ing change. come leaders, to become make a difference is “I’ve been in internaliterate,” says Schecter. to stay informed. She tional development for Under her leadership, encourages anyone 25 years. I’ve seen what World Neighbors has who is interested in beworks and what doesn’t,” established a federation coming involved with says Schecter. “I believe of women in India, which World Neighbors to this is the right way to help has grown to over 4,000 visit its website wn.org people.” members. It also helped or email info@wn.org. a community in TimorFAITH HARL Leste save $30,000 to
Becoming a Global Citizen
