HELP at a glance
The foundation
HELP – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V. is a German non-governmental relief organisation duly registered with the courts of law in Bonn. In the wake of the war in Afghanistan and thereby caused refugee crises, members of Parliament of all parties represented in the German Parliament and other distinguished personalities founded HELP in July 1981. HELP started its work by providing humanitarian assistance for Afghan refugees having fled to Pakistan. After the very first years of its existence, HELP started to continuously expand its humanitarian work to other countries. Aid is given regardless of the race, creed or nationality of the recipients and without adverse distinction of any kind. Aid priorities are calculated on the basis of need alone.
HELP today
Meanwhile, HELP has enlarged its activities and is nowadays operational worldwide being engaged in emergency assistance as well as in rehabilitation and development projects. Whenever possible we are linking emergency aid with self-help. One of the basic aims of HELP is to encourage the efforts made by the communities affected by catastrophes and misery in order to have them improve their living circumstances themselves. For this reason HELP is closely cooperating with indigenous partners and NGOs, knowing that these people are best familiar with local conditions, culture and needs. With its projects HELP is not only covering immediate humanitarian needs, but also fighting the causes, which resulted in humanitarian catastrophes, thus aiming at durable solutions. Trying to work most effectively HELP is coordinating its project activities with all national and international organisations.
HELP – Serbia
HELP has been operating in Serbia since November 1999 providing socio-economic support for vulnerable individuals – refugees, IDPs, local social cases and Roma population.
Main projects implemented by HELP in Serbia focus on following sectors:
- socio-economic support programmes and micro-enterprise development through income generation assistance;
- support to the closure of collective centres by providing alternative housing solutions;
- trainings and support for start-up businesses;
- construction and rehabilitation projects
- humanitarian relief projects: distribution of food, hygienic items and firewood;
With its activities HELP is supporting implementation of several National Strategies: the Poverty Reduction Strategy, The National Strategy for Resolving the Problems of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, the Strategy for the Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Entrepreneurship in the Republic of Serbia from 2003-2008. Furthermore HELP’s intervention in Serbia contributes to the achievements of Millennium Development Goals.
HELP continues to support development-oriented projects thus reducing poverty and stabilising socio-economic situation in the country.
More detailed and updated information about HELP’s activities in Serbia can be found under:
Project examples of HELP- Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V. – worldwide:
- rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes in the sectors health, housing, water and sanitation and other public infra-structure in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, India, Iraq, Iran, Chechnya and Serbia and Montenegro;
- reconstruction of schools and kindergarten in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro;
- humanitarian demining and mine-awareness programmes in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chad and Iraq;
- humanitarian assistance for victims affected by the conflicts in Chechnya and Iraq;
- socio-economic support programmes and micro-enterprise development through income generation assistance in Serbia and Montenegro;
- assistance programmes for IDPs, refugees and poor domicile population through alternative housing solutions in Serbia and Montenegro;
- emergency assistance for earthquake victims in El Salvador, India and Iran;
- establishment of mobile clinics offering primary health services to the earthquake-affected rural population in the state of Gujarat / India;
- reconstruction of schools, voluntary training and establishment of micro-credit systems in Sayla district in India;
- self-help programs and shelter repair of private homes and collective centers in Montenegro;
- food aid, distribution of seeds and support of medical posts in Zimbabwe.
Funding
For our projects and programmes we count on public donations. On the other hand we rely on governmental, European and third parties’ funding. These include:
- the German Foreign Office
- the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
- the European Community Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO)
- the European Agency for Reconstruction
- other Directorates General of the European Commission
- United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR
- the Netherlands government
- The British government
- Caritas Austria
- the Franciscans Congregation Cologne
- Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
Financial Control
According to our legal status we are obliged to undergo an annual audit carried out by independent external auditors. Being a member of the German fundraising community we voluntarily undergo an annual audit by the Central Federal Institute for Social Issues (DZI), Berlin, on the transparency of our financial management and the use of earmarked funds. A respective certificate is awarded and published on an annual basis confirming the reliability of our organisation.
Members of the Board of HELP
• Rudolf Bindig, MP/SPD, Predsedavajući
• Klaus-Jürgen Hedrich, MPB/CDU
• Angelika Josten-Janssen, former managing Director of HELP
• Angelika Graf, MdB /SPD
•Thilo Hoppe, MdB
•Anette Hübinger, MdB CDU/CSU
• Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, MP/FDP
• Dr. Obeidullah Mogaddedi
• Christian Schmidt, MdB/CSU
Executive Director
Karin Settele
HELP – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V.
Reuterstr. 39
53115 Bonn
Germany
Tel./Fax: +49 228 9152999
Email: info@help-ev.de
Please visit us on the Internet:
HELP e.V. http://www.help-ev.de
HELP Serbia http://www.help-serbia.org.yu
surf&HELP http://www.magicspeed.de
shop&HELP http://www.planethelp.de
