Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation

Helvetas Swiss Inter-cooperation is a development organization in Switzerland. She's ( founded in 1955 ) 2011 from a merger of the two organizations Helvetas and Inter Cooperation ( established in 1982 ) emerged.

The Swiss development organization is active in 32 of the poorest countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. It relies on people to help themselves in favor of disadvantaged people and communities in rural areas. The focus is on basic needs such as drinking water, food security, education and income generation. HELVETAS Swiss Inter-cooperation is a politically and religiously independent association, supported by approximately 100,000 members, patrons, and 12 honorary regional groups. In Switzerland ( Zurich, Bern, Lausanne and Balerna ) work around 130, in the project countries over 1200 (mainly local ) employees.

History

1947 dismissed the head of the Swiss donation (from 1948 Swiss Europe Aid ( SEH ) ), Rodolfo Olgiati, in their bulletin out that it was time, weiterzuschreiten of the post-war aid to peace work. He recognized the support of the economically less developed countries outside of Europe a new task of the Swiss auxiliary character. Olgiati is considered the first Swiss made ​​international solidarity in a global framework and spoke of the well-being of all peoples. 1954 was a Initiantengruppe with the Memorandum Switzerland is helping economically disadvantaged countries, in 1955, after the unsuccessful search for an existing support among aid agencies, decided to start a club yourself. Rodolfo Olgiati and Regina Kaegi - fox man can be considered the two most important personalities founder of the charity are considered. On June 18, 1955 founded the Hotel Limmathaus, Zurich around 70 people from different ideational origin the Swiss club 's Fund for non-European countries ( SHAG ). 1965, the name was changed to Helvetas. 2011 came the merger with Inter-cooperation to HELVETAS Swiss Inter-cooperation.

Vision

Helvetas has the vision of a society

  • Which ensures the basic needs of all people and guarantees a life of dignity and security;
  • The all - women and men - concedes the right to self-determination and allows them to shape their social and political environment;
  • Which their natural resources sustainably care bears;
  • Based on organizations and institutions in which the principles of transparency, accountability, quality and efficiency are anchored.

Areas of work abroad

The focus of the activities of Helvetas is in project work abroad. This focuses on the following areas:

  • Water and infrastructure (water and sanitation, bridges and roads)
  • Agriculture and market (food, organic farming and Fair Trade )
  • Environment and climate (soil, forests and water )
  • Education ( literacy and vocational training)
  • Democracy and peace ( Human Rights and Culture)

Commitment to the Switzerland

As an association, Helvetas is also involved in domestic in all language regions. With information and awareness-raising efforts as well as on the activities of the Fair shops Helvetas aims to make the Swiss population on the lives and concerns of people in developing countries attention and inspire them mitzutragen commitment to disadvantaged communities in the south and to influence the development of policy in Switzerland.

Diplomatic Documents of Switzerland
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