International solidarity service
| Solidarity Service International (SODI) |
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|---|---|
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| legal form | registered association |
| founding | 1990 |
| Seat | Berlin |
| motto | All people live in a solidary, just and peaceful world in which the natural foundations of life are used sustainably. |
| method | Implementation of sustainable development cooperation |
| Chair | Rolf Sukowski |
| Managing directors | Anna Goos |
| Website | www.sodi.de |
The Solidarity Service International e. V. (SODI) is a non- denominational, politically independent and nationwide non-governmental organization in the field of development cooperation based in Berlin .
activities
The association implements development cooperation projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe and provides humanitarian aid to victims of natural disasters, wars and civil wars.
Since 1990 SODI has carried out around 800 projects in 32 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe in cooperation with non-governmental, municipal, trade union and church organizations. "The projects aim to strengthen people's potential for self-help, to reduce poverty and the Realizing human rights based on ideas from SODI's partners.
The main content of the project work is self-help-oriented poverty reduction, especially in the following areas: rural development , capacity building, education, health, water and resource protection, peace and disarmament, disaster relief. In this context, particular importance is attached to the strengthening of the rights of women and children. In 2013 there were projects in Laos , Cambodia , Vietnam , Namibia , Mozambique , South Africa , Belarus , Cuba and Nicaragua .
The association combines its development projects with educational and public relations work in Germany. Together with other organizations, SODI is involved in networks and campaigns against an exclusively profit-oriented globalization, for the sustainable development of the South and the North and fair global economic relations, for peace and a tolerant coexistence of people, peoples and cultures.
The association is a member of the Association for Development Policy and Humanitarian Aid of German Non- Governmental Organizations (VENRO), the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband , the Landmine.de action alliance , the Environment and Development Forum, the Berlin Development Policy Council (BER) , the Federal Government's alliance for democracy and tolerance - against Extremism and violence as well as in networks such as Attac , your voice against poverty and Erlassjahr.de - development needs debt relief , also in the international facing finance alliance .
history
The association is the legal successor to the Solidarity Committee of the GDR . In September 1990, the " Development Policy Round Table " was set up with the participation of East German solidarity groups, including SODI, politicians and people from the church and academic sectors. In August 1991, on behalf of the Independent Commission to review the assets of the parties and mass organizations of the GDR , the Treuhand blocked all funds from SODI on the grounds that the association had illegally acquired the donations from the GDR. SODI was able to demonstrate the legitimacy of the fundraising process, thereby rejecting the Commission's allegations. The development policy round table and SODI founded the North-South Bridges Foundation in 1994 . The foundation was endowed with securities in the amount of DM 32,613,000 as of November 30, 1992 and was established on February 21, 1994.
Merger with the Development Society eV (EpoG)
In 2007 the Development Political Society eV (EpoG) was merged into SODI. EpoG was founded in Berlin in April 1990 and after its dissolution in 2008 it continues its work as "Förderkreis EpoG bei SODI". The aim of the work is to improve the educational situation of young and disadvantaged population groups in the Indian states of Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.
Association structure and financing
The association has over 380 members. The guidelines for the activities of SODI are determined by the general assembly. It elects a seven-person honorary board who directs the association's work. The first chairman of the management board was Carl ordinance from 1990 to 2002 , and Rolf Sukowski has held this position since 2016. Eleven full-time employees work in the office. In addition to its members, the association relies on voluntary helpers in support groups and grassroots groups and on donors. The information bulletin SODI-Report, which appears four times a year, has 17,000 subscribers.
On the basis of private monetary donations and donations in kind as well as grants from the European Union, the federal government (Foreign Office, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development), state governments and private foundations, SODI provides solidarity services worth over one million euros annually. SODI's bookkeeping, annual accounts and balance sheet are checked by the auditing company Schomerus & Partner. SODI bears the donation seal of the German Central Institute for Social Issues (DZI). Since 2015 SODI has been participating in Transparency International's “Transparent Civil Society Initiative” .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ SODI introduces itself
- ↑ Flyer ( Memento from January 7, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Http://www.sodi.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/sonstiges/ Jahresesberichte/ SODI_jahresbericht_20130603.pdf , pp. 12-25, accessed on March 27, 2015
- ^ Members of the Berlin Development Policy Council ( Memento from November 10, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ http://www.sodi.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/sonstiges/jahresberichte/SODI- Jahresbericht_2009.pdf , pp. 8–9, accessed on March 27, 2015
- ↑ a b SODI Report 03/2020 edition. (PDF; 0.7 & nbsp; MB) 30 years of SODI - SODI says thank you. In: www.sodi.de. Solidarity Service International, July 22, 2020, accessed on August 16, 2020 .
- ↑ Home. Who are we? (No longer available online.) In: www.epog-berlin.de. Development Society eV (EpoG) Berlin, November 19, 2002, archived from the original ; accessed on August 16, 2020 .
- ^ The commitment of the EpoG support group in India. Retrieved on August 16, 2020 (German).