Top German global development NGOs: A primer

Germany remains a powerhouse in the international development scene, with two of its cities in particular — sprawling, raucous Berlin and smaller, businesslike Bonn — acting as hubs for key events in this area. These seats of power in politics and business attract a wide range of advocates for social change and, from a logistical perspective, their costs of living and excellent transport links make them very attractive destinations for international nongovernmental organizations. Berlin’s extracurricular charms are well-known — its endless nightlife makes most places look austere by comparison — but its rare energy also comes from its bustling tech scene, its group of newcomers from across the globe pitching up to make things happen. Within that vibrant context, it is little surprise that a large organization like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance chose the city as the host for its recent pledging conference, where hundreds gathered to watch them announce a successful fundraising target of $7.5 billion. Berlin is one of Europe’s grandest stages, and it knows it: Its new year celebrations drew a million people to the Brandenburg Gate, and in May its majestic Olympic Stadium will open its doors to the final of the UEFA Champions League. Bonn, where life proceeds at a more regal pace, has an equally strong sense of ceremony. Once the capital of reunified Germany, an honor it conceded to Berlin in 1999, it sits just by the Rhine, its warmer climate meaning that its citizens are spared the ruthlessness of Berlin’s often brutal winters. Delegates from far and wide have found the town similarly welcoming: There, the United Nations’ secretariat staff number almost 1,000, including several experts in the fields of, among others, health care, education and climate. It is no coincidence that, in May, Bonn will be home to U.N. discussions of its post-2015 agenda, where the Conference for Global Transformation will focus on the three areas of energy, inequality and “the implementation of practical approaches and solutions.” Berlin and Bonn may be the most visible reference points when it comes to international development in Germany, yet cities such as Cologne, home to religious institutions with long-standing traditions of community support, also play a substantial role. Throughout the country, from Stuttgart to Frankfurt-am-Main, their NGOs are working with passion and purpose toward their long-term vision of a better world. Below, we’ve featured a selection of those doing the most prominent work to nurture sustainable communities around the world. ADRA Deutschland Founded: 1986 Headquarters: Weiterstadt Executive director: Christian Molke Annual budget: 7.9 million euros Staff: 38 Activities: initiatives for sanitation, income, disaster relief, education, renewable energy, health, disaster preparedness, children, food security ADRA, founded in the mid-1980s by the Protestant Free Church of Seventh-Day Adventists, helps people regardless of their religious beliefs, political affiliations or ethnic origins. Working in partnership with Germany’s foreign office and other NGOs, coordinating its efforts via a network of 130 country offices, it targets efforts toward vulnerable people across the world, particularly refugees, seniors, women and the young. Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Entwicklungshilfe Founded: 1959 Headquarters: Cologne Executive director: Michael Steeb Annual budget: 20 million euros Staff: 50 Activities: recruitment of people with professional expertise and social skills for development projects AGEH recruits professionals of the Christian faith from throughout the EU to assist development projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and in Southeast and Eastern Europe. AGEH collaborates with faith-based organizations such as Misereor and Caritas International, with religious communities and dioceses, and with many other NGOs, both religious and secular in affiliation. So far, around 6,000 development workers seconded by AGEH have lent their support to development projects worldwide, and every year up to 280 AGEH development workers are on assignment in 60 different countries. AWO International Founded: 1998 Headquarters: Berlin Executive director: Rudi Frick Annual budget: 4.3 million euros Staff: 9 Activities: strengthening social structures, poverty reduction, safe migration, combating child labor, child abuse and child prostitution, violence prevention and promotion of youth, humanitarian aid, disaster risk reduction, global learning, fair trade AWO International, the trade association of AWO, coordinates humanitarian aid and international development programs worldwide. With more than 200 member organizations, it supports projects in urban and rural Central America, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Through working closely with local stakeholders, lobbying and advocacy, it aims to develop systems to protect society’s most vulnerable members. Among others, it works in Mexico against machismo and sexual violence; it supports young people as political actors in Guatemala and Nicaragua; it advises Indonesia on organic rice cultivation as a basis for poverty reduction; and it works to prevent child trafficking and child prostitution in the Philippines. Bonn International Center for Conversion Founded: 1994 Headquarters: Bonn Executive directors: Dr. Conrad Schetter, Michael Dedek Annual budget: 2.4 million euros Staff: 46 Activities: applied research, policy advice, technical advice and capacity development, data and geographic information systems BICC has the vision of “a more peaceful world,” and to that aim it carries out “critical, problem-oriented, policy relevant research in response to the problems posed by organized violence.” BICC collaborates with international and national research institutes and foundations, the United Nations and other international organizations, and various arms of the German government. It is also co-editor of the annual “Peace Report,” which assesses the opportunities and challenges for peace and development worldwide. Brot für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst Founded: 1959 Headquarters: Bonn Executive director: Rev. Cornelia Füllkrug-Weitzel Annual budget: 263.4 million euros Staff: 370 Activities: advocacy and support of programs for human rights, promotion of education and health, and conservation Working in more than 90 countries, with a focus on those in the “global south,” Bread for the World – Protestant Development Service aims to empower people from disadvantaged communities through the promotion of health, education, human rights and “the integrity of creation” (in other words, taking a responsible attitude toward conservation). Through these efforts, it seeks to create a world where the effects of climate change are mitigated, and within which people in the target countries can enjoy a sustainable lifestyle and economy. Christoffel-Blindenmission Founded: 1908 Headquarters: Bensheim Executive director: Rainer Brockhaus Annual budget: 62.6 million euros Staff: 134 in Bensheim, Germany, plus 59 overseas Activities: development assistance, health, education, livelihood, human rights, emergency aid and disaster risk reduction CBM is an international Christian development organization, committed to realizing its vision of an inclusive world and improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in the poorest communities of the world. CBM has 11 member associations in different industrialized countries, raising funds and also awareness of disability issues worldwide. In lower-income regions of the world, CBM strives to build the capacity of partner organizations. The emphasis throughout CBM’s work in poorer regions of the world is on local capacity development. This increases service delivery in the fields of health care, education, rehabilitation and livelihood development. In 2013, CBM supported 24.4 million people with 672 projects in 68 countries. Democracy Reporting International Founded: 2006 Headquarters: Berlin Executive director: Michael Meyer-Resende Annual budget: 2.9 million euros Staff: 10 in Berlin, plus 25 in other offices worldwide Activities: research, policy advice, advocacy DRI promotes political participation of citizens, accountability of state bodies and the development of democratic institutions worldwide. It works in several countries, with a particular focus on those where it sees the greatest opportunity for democratic reform; at present, those are Tunisia, Libya, Pakistan and Ukraine. In pursuit of its mission, DRI holds conferences and workshops, and provides advocacy and leadership training for local activists. Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung Founded: 1991 Headquarters: Hannover Executive director: Renate Baehr Annual budget: 4.9 million euros Staff: 200 Activities: health care, capacity building, poverty reduction DSW aims to improve global health, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health, which it sees as fundamental in the fight against poverty. It has offices in Hannover, Berlin, Brussels, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. It is a partner of the U.N. Population Fund and has consultative status with the U.N. Economic and Social Council. With the aid of these networks, it supports sexual and reproductive health initiatives and family planning projects in low and middle-income countries. Don Bosco Mondo Founded: 1980 Headquarters: Bonn Executive director: Christopher Osterhaus Annual budget: 13 million euros Staff: 28 Activities: education Formerly Jugend dritte Welt, Don Bosco Mondo supports socially disadvantaged youths in more than 128 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe. Its programs range from short, basic courses to in-depth, vocational training for street children, child laborers, child soldiers and children from the poorest families. It has so far served 225,000 young people in its 7,000 centers worldwide. Eirene – Internationaler Christlicher Friedensdienst Founded: 1957 Headquarters: Neuwied Executive director: Dr. Anthea Bethge Annual budget: 5.8 million euros Staff: 22 Activities: volunteer services, nonviolent conflict resolution in Africa and Latin America, sustainable development Eirene supports sustainable development projects in Africa and Latin America, with an emphasis on human rights, conflict resolution training and rural development. Its experts have worked with communities in the aftermath of civil wars in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to reduce the risk of further violence. It has also worked with farmers in Nicaragua to help them take advantage of new techniques in organic agriculture, and to secure their rights as workers. Eirene directs an annual volunteer program, where up to 70 young people can spend a year abroad working on social, environmental and reconciliation projects. German Doctors Founded: 1983 Headquarters: Frankfurt-am-Main Executive directors: Dr. Harald Kischlat, Dr. Elisabeth Sous-Braun Annual budget: 10 million euros Staff: 15 Activities: patient treatment and vaccinations, education on hygiene and diet Formerly known as Ärzte für die Dritte Welt, German Doctors sends volunteers to India, Bangladesh, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Nicaragua and the Philippines, where around 3,000 of its doctors have performed more than 6,400 operations. The NGO is also committed to the long-term health of people in the region, and to that end it not only operates clinics and gives vaccinations but provides detailed guidance on diet and hygiene, disseminating best practice about preventive measures in each of these target countries. Heinrich Böll Stiftung Founded: 1997 Headquarters: Berlin Executive director: Dr. Livia Kotta Annual budget: 50.9 million euros Staff: 200 Activities: advocacy in the areas of European policy, ecology and justice, democracy and human rights, foreign and security policy, education, social participation and opportunities for advancement Taking its name from the writer Heinrich Böll, winner of the Nobel Literature Prize in 1972, the foundation has more than 30 offices worldwide and serves different functions: It is a think tank, an advocate for social change, a director and executor of several programs, and an international network of activists. Its areas of focus are sustainability and the environment, democracy and human rights, and justice and self-determination. Within these broad areas, it places a strong emphasis on gender and racial equality, and on enabling the social and political participation of immigrants. HELP – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe Founded: 1981 Headquarters: Bonn Executive director: Karin Settele Annual budget: 24.6 million euros Staff: 17 Activities: worldwide emergency and disaster relief, long-term development assistance, reconstruction projects Created in the wake of the first wave of refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, HELP focuses not only on disaster relief but also in reconstruction projects that could steer people in countries it operates in toward safer, more secure futures. In recent years, it has directed and assisted with rebuilding programs in South Sudan, Afghanistan and Burkina Faso, and prior to that in Pakistan, Haiti and the Balkans. Kindernothilfe Founded: 1959 Headquarters: Duisburg Executive director: Katrin Weidemann Annual budget: 58.5 million euros Staff: 140 Activities: advocacy, securing and protecting children’s rights Through its partners, Kindernothilfe says it supports more than 500,000 children each year, with thousands of projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. It focuses on child labor, child prostitution, child soldiers and children with disabilities. Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Founded: 1969 Headquarters: Berlin Executive director: Dr. Hans-Gert Poettering Annual budget: 139.9 million euros Staff: 70 Activities: research, conferences and training to further transatlantic relations, European unification and development cooperation KAS hosts more than 200 projects in 120 countries through 81 field offices to foster democracy and the rule of law, implement social and market-economic structures and promote human rights. The foundation, which is close to the Christian Democratic Union, a center-conservative political party, trains and educates young professionals and offers opportunities for cultural exchange. Medica Mondiale Founded: 1993 Headquarters: Cologne Executive directors: Dr. Monika Hauser, Christiane Overkamp Annual budget: 5.3 million euros Staff: 41 at headquarters, about 80 offices Activities: support for women and girls in war and crisis regions around the globe, including the provision of medical, psychological and legal help to victims of sexual violence. Medica Mondiale supports women and girls in war and crisis regions around the globe, providing medical, psychological and legal help to victims of sexual violence, for instance. It is currently active in Afghanistan, Albania, Bosnia, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kosovo, Liberia, Rwanda and Uganda. The organization’s grant program has so far assisted 91 projects in 26 countries. Medico International Founded: 1993 Headquarters: Cologne Executive director: Thomas Gebauer Annual budget: 10.5 million euros Staff: 35 in Cologne, plus 9 overseas Activities: emergency aid, health, human rights, psychosocial work Medico International not only provides emergency aid, but it also advocates for a world where aid is no longer necessary — hence its motto: “defend, criticize and overcome aid.” Through its advocacy work, the organization has been able to create structures where aid can be delivered in a sustainable manner. It now has a network of partners overseeing some 60 projects in the areas of local primary health care aid and global social rights. Renovabis Founded: 1993 Headquarters: Freising Executive director: Stefan Dartmann Annual budget: 34.5 million euros Staff: 37 Activities: support for refugees and disadvantaged groups Renovabis is a solidarity initiative of German Catholics with people living in Central and Eastern Europe. Since its establishment, Renovabis says it has executed more than 14,000 projects in 28 countries, focusing on youth, families and people in jail, among others. In 2013 alone, it directed 809 projects worth nearly 40 million euros. Transparency International Founded: 1993 Headquarters: Berlin Executive director: Cobus de Swardt Annual budget: 24.5 million euros Staff: 160 Activities: research, advocacy and partnership building to confront corruption With around 100 independent chapters assisting its secretariat in Berlin, Transparency International works to eradicate corruption worldwide. It was closely involved in the introduction of the United Nations Convention against Corruption and the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention. Set up with the help of Peter Eigen, a former regional director of the World Bank, it publishes an annual Corruption Perceptions Index, which ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. Welthungerhilfe Founded: 1962 Headquarters: Bonn Executive director: Till Wahnbaeck (beginning May 1, 2015) 2013 budget: 154.1 million euros Staff: 192 staff members in Bonn and Berlin, about 146 expats and more than 2,000 local staff members in the project countries Activities: emergency response, rehabilitation and development programs to end global hunger and poverty Germany’s contribution to the worldwide “Freedom From Hunger” campaign kick-started by the then Food and Agriculture Organization Secretary-General Binay Ranjan Sen, Welthungerhilfe focuses on nutrition, food security and agricultural development as well as on humanitarian aid. It engages civil society and the youth in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Weltfriedensdienst Founded: 1959 Headquarters: Berlin Executive director: Georg Rohde Annual budget: 5 million euros Staff: 17 in Berlin, 28 overseas Activities: advocacy for social justice, human rights, gender equality, sustainable agriculture The World Peace Service was created after World War II to boost peace, justice and development in the “global south” as well as the “global north.” It is currently active in 19 countries, and through its four foundations allows potential donors to get involved with its peace and development work. The organization has more than 320 associate members, with whom it works on a diverse range of initiatives, which engage for instance in boosting food security in Guinea and Senegal, improving nutrition for indigenous communities in Zimbabwe, and defending indigenous rights in Argentina. Other notable international development NGOs with main offices or a presence in Germany: ▪ Amnesty International Deutschland ▪ Care Deutschland ▪ Christliche Fachkräfte International ▪ Deutsche Caritas Verband ▪ Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (German Red Cross) ▪ Handicap International ▪ Internationaler Hilfsfonds ▪ MISEREOR ▪ Oxfam Germany ▪ Plan International Deutschland ▪ Rotary Deutschland Gemeindienst ▪ Sparkassenstiftung für internationale Kooperation ▪ Swisscontact Germany ▪ World Vision Deutschland Did we forget any major aid or international development NGO based in Germany? Please let us know by placing your comments below. See our 2011 list of top German global development NGOs. Also check our lists of top aid groups in other global development hubs such as London, New York, Paris and Washington.