- World Neighbors, founded in 1951, empowers impoverished global communities through private support and grassroots development across Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
- CEO Kate Schecter leverages her extensive international experience at the World Bank and in public health to lead the organization’s strategic vision.
- Marking its 75th anniversary, the organization is reassessing its role amid shifting geopolitical priorities and a transforming post-World War II international order.
- The organization aims to redefine grassroots empowerment and international cooperation to address evolving challenges in an increasingly uncertain global landscape.
The post–World War II international order, built around cooperation, shared institutions, and global partnerships, is undergoing a significant transformation. As governments, businesses, and civil society organizations adapt to a more uncertain global environment, international development groups are also reassessing their roles, strategies, and relationships.
World Neighbors, an Oklahoma City-based international development organization founded in 1951 by Dr. John Peters, offers an important perspective on this transition. Established after Peters witnessed the devastating effects of poverty during World War II, the organization was created with a mission to empower communities facing poverty and inequality. Over the decades, World Neighbors has expanded its work across Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa, relying largely on private support to sustain its programs.
For the past decade, the organization has been led by CEO Kate Schecter, whose career reflects the values of international engagement and cross-cultural cooperation that shaped the post-war era. With academic backgrounds from Columbia and Harvard, and professional experience spanning countries including the former Soviet Union, Japan, and Israel, Schecter brings a global perspective to her leadership. Before joining World Neighbors, she worked as a World Bank consultant and public health expert in former Soviet republics, including Ukraine.
As World Neighbors marks its 75th anniversary, the organization stands at a critical moment. Its history represents the ideals of international cooperation, grassroots empowerment, and global solidarity. However, the changing geopolitical landscape, shifting donor priorities, and evolving development challenges require new approaches.
In this discussion, Kate Schecter reflects on how World Neighbors is preparing for an uncertain future, the changing nature of international development, and the role organizations like World Neighbors can play in a world where traditional global partnerships are being redefined.
