Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe
The DKH eV is the humanitarian aid agency of the Evangelical Church in Germany. Since 1954, the Berlin- based association has been supporting people who have been victims of natural disasters, war and displacement and who cannot cope with this emergency on their own. The organization is based on the Christian image of man and provides emergency humanitarian aid, according to its own statements, "regardless of religion, skin color and nationality". However, they say they also go directly to churches to offer help. With its sister organization Bread for the World, the association is part of the Evangelical Work for Diakonia and Development in Berlin.
The organization supports around 140 aid projects worldwide every year. In doing so, she works closely with church-based, church-related and secular partners.
The association's work is strictly based on the code of conduct for humanitarian aid: respect for human dignity is its top priority, it works in partnership with those affected and promotes independence and reconciliation. In doing so, she pays attention to strict neutrality and independence.
Focus of work
Emergency aid
Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe ensures the survival of the local people in both natural disasters and armed conflicts. Relief goods such as drinking water, food, medicines, blankets and tents are usually bought in local markets in order to strengthen the local economy and save costs through short transport routes. Psychological support, especially for children and victims of sexual violence, should help those affected.
reconstruction
The association supports those affected by disasters in taking their lives back into their hands, creating sustainable living conditions and opening up future prospects. It helps with the reconstruction of houses, schools and health stations and ensures a water supply. With seeds and tools as well as agricultural and professional training, the organization enables people to earn a living.
Disaster preparedness
Due to climate change, natural disasters have increased in recent years. The association works to mitigate the effects of future disasters and to better prepare people for emergencies. Together with her local partners, she makes houses earthquake-proof and storm-proof, erects protective structures, reforests coastal regions, distributes salt-tolerant seeds and improves irrigation systems. The aid organization also develops early warning systems and emergency plans.
history
The forerunner organization, the relief organization of the Evangelical Churches in Germany founded shortly after the Second World War , initially worked primarily in Germany and helped distribute international aid for the millions of refugees and homeless people. When the situation in Germany improved noticeably at the beginning of the 1950s, the aid agency was also able to provide international aid.
With the establishment of the Ecumenical Diakonia as a department of the relief organization, the task of disaster aid for foreign countries was institutionalized for the first time in 1954 - the hour of birth of Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe. Just two years later, when the suppressed uprising in Hungary triggered a large refugee movement, donations reached millions. Thereafter, emergency and disaster aid developed into an integral part of the Diakonisches Werk, which emerged in 1957 from the relief organization and the Inner Mission. The actions were coordinated under the direction of Ludwig Geißel . In addition to natural disasters such as the flood of the Oder in East Germany , the tsunami in Southeast Asia or the earthquake in Haiti , political conflicts always required Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe to work. In the 1960s, for example, she got involved in both North and South Vietnam , despite massive political criticism . Extensive aid programs have also been carried out in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years. At the same time, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe also keeps an eye on the “forgotten disasters”. This describes humanitarian emergencies in countries that have been suffering from serious conflicts and crises for years outside of the media interest , such as Colombia , the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Somalia , Chad and Sudan .
financing
The most important sources of income in 2017 were donations (49.5%), public funds, e.g. from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development , the Foreign Office and the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (31.4%), contributions from third parties, d. hu a. Bread for the World project cooperation, German Caritas Association, ACT Alliance, Diakonie Austria (9.6%), Bread for the World Disaster Fund (5.5%) and other sources (4.1%). The total income of 45.6 million euros was significantly higher than in the previous year.
The majority of the funds in 2017 (86.3%) went into project work, especially in developing countries . Further funds are used for advertising (4.7%), administration (4.4%), project support (2.8%) and public relations work in accordance with the statutes (1.8%).
Memberships, cooperations
The association works closely with the Catholic aid organization Caritas International , and it is also active in VENRO's Humanitarian Aid department . And through membership in the worldwide church aid network ACT Alliance (Action by Churches together), the association can also help in countries where it does not have its own partner organizations.
Board
- Ulrich Lilie, pastor, president, chairman
- Cornelia Füllkrug-Weitzel, pastor, president, deputy chairwoman
- Jörg A. Kruttschnitt
- Maria Loheide
- Claudia Warning
Publications
The association provides regular information about its work, including the following publications:
- Annual report
- The Far Next (current reports from the countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America)
- Specialist publications
- Newsletter (email)
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Our story . In: Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe . ( diakonie-katastrophenhilfe.de [accessed on July 11, 2018]).
- ^ Articles of Association . In: Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe . ( diakonie-katastrophenhilfe.de [accessed on July 11, 2018]).
- ↑ Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe - about us. Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, accessed on June 22, 2019 .
- ↑ Burkhard Weitz: Diakonie-Katastrophenhilfe-President Füllkrug-Weitzel in Syria "Many sell the last thing they still have". chrismon , March 12, 2018, accessed June 22, 2019 .
- ↑ a b c Martina Hahn, Thomas Hegenauer, Birgit Lembke, Stefan Libisch, Cornelia Schindewolf, Andreas Wagner, Kirsten SchwankeAdiang, Anne Dreyer: ANNUAL REPORT 2017 . Ed .: Evangelisches Werk für Diakonie und Entwicklung e. V. Druckhaus Berlin Mitte, Berlin ( diakonie-katastrophenhilfe.de [PDF]).
- ↑ Partner in the world . In: Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe . ( diakonie-katastrophenhilfe.de [accessed on July 11, 2018]).
- ↑ Board of Directors . In: Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe . ( diakonie-katastrophenhilfe.de [accessed on July 11, 2018]).