self-portrait

Organisation
terre des hommes schweiz was founded in 1960, and is a politically and confessionally neutral association. It is a member of the International Federation Terre des hommes, an alliance of Terre des hommes organizations around the world. terre des hommes schweiz in
Basel is integrated into an umbrella organization with Terre des Hommes Suisse in Geneva. The two sections, each with its own executive committee and regional working groups, coordinate their activities in Switzerland and abroad.

terre des hommes schweiz works with numerous national and international partners toward the creation of a just world, and campaigns on behalf of children and young adults in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In Switzerland, terre des hommes schweiz undertakes information work in the area of development politics and promotes the understanding of social justice.

Projectwork in the South
terre des hommes schweiz supports around 70 projects in Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Columbia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Peru, South Africa, Tanzania and Western Sahara. On site, terre des hommes schweiz works in collaboration with grass-roots organizations. In terms of issues, the project work is focused on protection against exploitation and on the rights to security and physical and psychic integrity, particularly of children and young adults. Priorities cover the support of street children and working children and young adults, the protection of young people from prostitution, violence prevention, collaborations with women’s groups, and the development of resource-sensitive, sustainable, ecological agricultural practices for small farmers.

Project- an Informationwork in Switzerland
One central aspect of the project and information work in Switzerland concerns awareness-raising activities in the form of development politics campaigns and information projects. terre des hommes schweiz also collaborates with other organizations and/or supports their actions. The other focus is on educational and youth work, encompassing activities in the areas of intercultural consciousness- raising, development pedagogies as well as youth work against racism and for the prevention of violence.

Funding
Eighty percent of the income employed by terre des hommes schweiz Basel originates from private donors, the remainder coming from contributions from foundations, the state, the cantons, local authorities and church groups as well as Swiss Solidarity. Since 1988, terre des hommes schweiz has held the seal of approval of ZEWO, the Swiss association for nonprofit, charitable organizations.

The terre des hommes schweiz office
Sixteen people (12.7 full-time equivalents) are employed in the terre des hommes schweiz office in Basel, together with four apprentices (1.6 full-time equivalents) for the youth project «imagine». Thirty to fourty volunteers support the organization in administrative and organizational work, either on an hourly basis or on one- to severalday assignments.