Amelie Esquenazi, ORT’s networking co-ordinator for Latin America, looks back on one of the highlights of the Scholas World Youth Encounter hosted by CIM-ORT:

The idea of bringing children from low socio-economic backgrounds to the school to work with our students was an idea sparked by Dario Werthein, chair of World ORT’s Board of Trustees.

We organized an afternoon for dozens of students and teachers from across the ORT network who were attending the Scholas conference to take part in a Tikkun Olam-focused event, organized by CIM-ORT director Avi Meir and his team.

Girls from the Meyalli School – set up by Pope John Paul II in the Chalco Valley on the outskirts of Mexico City – came to take part, as well as children suffering from cancer, and their parents.

Our ORT students worked with them in three ways: in our Makers Space beautiful dolls were made for the young children to take home; at the Adama Lab, small orchards were made in wooden boxes so the children could take them back to plant in their own schools; and in the media centre, audio-books were created under the direction of author Becky Rubinstein, who gave the children the copyright of her books so they could use them as they wish.

The ORT students were amazed at the power of doing good and of sharing life experiences with the less-fortunate children. The students from outside our community who participated in the initiative left happy to have shared the experience and were given a dinner and provisions for their families.

A student from the Meyalli School (left) with a doll to take home

ORT leaders including Dario Werthein, Board of Trustees member Arturo Merikanskas, and Mario Becker attended, as well as CIM-ORT board members, teachers and staff. Everyone understood what a privilege it is to be part of the ORT family.

Personally I deeply appreciated the opportunity to take part in this unique experience.