Every donation is important! With your support, you strengthen young people in Africa, Latin America and Switzerland with education, financial start-up aid and psychological support, thus laying the foundations for a self-determined life.
Empowering young people
Would you like to donate quickly and easily? Your one-off donation will improve the living conditions of young people and open up new prospects for them.
By becoming a sponsor, you are supporting an issue that is close to your heart and making a valuable contribution to improving the lives of young people in the long term.
With an inheritance or legacy, you are contributing to a fairer world. Our free will guide provides you with information on how to arrange your estate.
Whether a one-off donation or long-term support: your commitment shows social responsibility and supports disadvantaged people in Africa, Latin America and Switzerland.
Every occasion can be an opportunity to do good and make a donation. Start a collection campaign or ask for donations from your loved ones.
terre des hommes schweiz has the ZEWO seal of approval, which guarantees that donations are handled in a trustworthy manner. Your donations are used where they are most urgently needed and achieve a sustainable impact.
Your donation – a contribution for real change
Thanks to our donors, we reach 444,000 young people worldwide every year and work with more than 848 institutions to bring about lasting change.
of the donations go directly to the projects. We invest 25% in the necessary coordination, quality assurance and administrative tasks to ensure that our work remains efficient and sustainable.
terre des hommes schweiz bears the Zewo seal of approval. It certifies that your donation reaches the right place and is used effectively.
Choose the form of support that suits you best. Together we improve the living conditions of young people in Africa, Latin America and Switzerland. Every donation, large or small, makes a difference.
Questions? We are at your disposal.
+41 61 338 91 38 oder info@terredeshommes.ch
Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions about our projects and our work.
terre des hommes schweiz operates in 10 countries in Africa and Latin America, as well as in Switzerland.
Africa: Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Tanzania, Western Sahara
Latin America: Brazil, El Salvador, Colombia, Nicaragua
By donating to us. Simple, but true: in order for our partner organizations to continue their work, they need continuous financial resources. The best way to do this is with free donations, which we can use where they are most urgently needed. If you would like to donate to a specific topic, you have the option of thematic sponsorships. Regular donations help us to plan for the long term.
Yes. As a non-profit organization, terre des hommes schweiz is tax-exempt and donations to our organization can be deducted from your taxes. We will send you a donation receipt for all your donations from the previous year at the end of January, which you can enclose with your tax return.
As a Zewo-certified organization, terre des hommes schweiz guarantees the responsible use of donations. In 2025, following a comprehensive audit, terre des hommes schweiz was once again awarded the Zewo seal of approval. This confirms that we meet high standards in the use of funds, organizational management, and reporting.
Private donations account for around 60 percent of our financial resources. They are the most important source. Around 30 percent is covered by the SDC, and we receive a further 10 percent from foundations and organizations. We also receive money from cantons, municipalities and parishes.
Administrative costs amount to 15 percent. The annual financial statements, which include a detailed breakdown of costs, can be found in the annual report. terre des hommes schweiz holds the Zewo seal of approval for nonprofit organizations. This seal also includes guidelines on the permissible level of administrative costs.
Depending on whether you are a donor, have sponsored a project, or have never been in contact with us before, you will receive mail from us one to (in rare cases) six times a year. You may also receive mail from another Terre des hommes organization. There are several organizations in Switzerland that include “Terre des hommes” in their names. We are terre des hommes schweiz. You can recognize our mail by the logo, which you can see in the top left corner of our website.
Several organizations bear the name “Terre des Hommes.” They share a common historical origin but are now legally, organizationally, and financially independent of one another.
In 1960, Swiss journalist Edmond Kaiser founded Terre des Hommes in Lausanne. At the same time, Terre des Hommes working groups were formed in Basel and Geneva. In 1972, differing views regarding the structures and direction of future development cooperation led to a split. This resulted in the creation of three independent organizations:
terre des hommes schweiz, based in Basel, and Terre des Hommes Suisse, based in Geneva, are collaborating as part of an alliance founded in 2019.
There are also several organizations outside of Switzerland with the name “Terre des Hommes.” These operate independently of one another in legal, organizational, and financial terms. terre des hommes schweiz is a member of the International Federation of Terre des Hommes (TDHIF), headquartered in Geneva. The TDHIF includes organizations from Switzerland, Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, Spain, and Luxembourg.
No. terre des hommes schweiz, based in Basel, has not conducted or facilitated any international adoptions. Since 2025, the media have been reporting on past adoption programs run by the Terre des hommes Foundation, based in Lausanne. This foundation is legally, financially, and organizationally independent of terre des hommes schweiz.
For more information, please visit this link: International Adoptions: Questions and Answers
No. But you can take on a sponsorship for a specific topic.
Child sponsorships are a marketing tool that suggests a personal bond between sponsors and the children and serves to build donor loyalty. It also creates the impression that the donated money reaches its intended recipients more directly. However, child sponsorships involve administrative overhead, and there is a risk that children will be exploited. Zewo, which awards the seal of approval for nonprofit organizations in Switzerland, rejects individual sponsorships.
No. terre des hommes schweiz does not accept donations of clothing or goods. We strengthen local resources in the project countries and do not have the logistical means to transport goods sensibly.
A large part of your donation (75%) goes directly to our projects in Africa, Latin America, and Switzerland, where we work together with local organisations to promote sustainable development cooperation. The remaining 25% is invested in essential coordination, quality assurance, and administrative tasks to ensure that our support remains efficient and sustainable. Effective project work requires strong organisation – only then can we achieve lasting change.
terre des hommes schweiz holds the Zewo seal of approval, which confirms that we use your donation in a targeted, effective, and transparent manner.
You can help us to reduce administrative costs by choosing a particularly efficient method of payment and also pledging a regular donation:
Every donation counts – and with a regular transfer, you help to ensure that as much of your support as possible flows directly into our projects.
If you would like to adjust or end your regular donation, you can simply contact us by e-mail. Please write to info@terredeshommes.ch and include the following information:
Your name
Your address
Your date of birth
Your request (e.g. change of donation amount, cancellation of a donation)
Our team will process your request as quickly as possible and confirm the adjustment of your donation. Thank you for your support!
