About us
An exchange at eye level, mutual respect for each other and an honest interest in the realities on the ground are the strong fundaments of our collaboration with partner organisations that empower people to help themselves.
How does EcoSolidar work?
EcoSolidar has been supporting local small-scale projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America since 1986. We support projects initiated personally by the people concerned. Our work focuses on the following areas:
- Organic agriculture for food security
- Education and training of children and young people in need
- Strengthening and education of women affected by poverty and violence
- Promotion of peace and awareness enhancing projects
Helping people to help themselves is at the heart of our engagement: We object to the imposition of foreign ideas and approaches. We are convinced that projects are well anchored when they are based on the knowledge of the local people and are implemented by themselves. Our partners define the aim of the project themselves and decide how to implement their ideas. This makes their projects sustainable.
Our goal is to build strong partnerships with the people involved in the project. This means long-term cooperation based on equality and enduring in good as well as hard times and includes addressing difficulties and looking for solutions together. The foundation of this kind of cooperation is trust. Constant dialogue and openness are the prerequisites for working together across borders and cultures. We believe in the potential of small-scale local projects rooted in civil society and our experience shows that it is worthwhile promoting them. Therefore we always invest in a gradual build-up of the projects and in strengthening the organisations.
By supporting social and political initiatives in Switzerland, we take a stand for a caring and just society here and worldwide.
Annual Report 2023
Development concept
Membership
As a member you strengthen our association and have voting rights at the General Assembly.
Team
ANDRÉ | CHRISTINE | Caroline | Zilan |
Linda |
Project Partners
GEORGE | Raúl | Bee Chhon | Carolina |
ECOSOLIDAR ASSOCIATION
EcoSolidar is a non-profit association with around 2’000 members and 16’500 other donors. The board of directors consists of individuals with particular expertise in the areas of projects and evaluation, human resources, finance, advertising and communication, law, politics and psychology. The association’s board of directors controls and decides on current projects. An external auditor checks the accounts and ZEWO (Zentralstelle für Wohlfahrtsunternehmen) has issued a certificate of approval to EcoSolidar.
BOARD MEMBERS
PRESIDENT
Guido Ehrler
VICE PRESIDENT
Emilio Modena
CASHIER
Marie-Therese Fasser (Compliance Officer)
ACTUARY & COMMUNICATION
Ariane Lang
FURTHER BOARD MEMBERS
Diether Grünenfelder (founder and former managing director of EcoSolidar.)
Christa Sulser
Isabella Augustin-Hitz
Michèle Abouchar (Professional activity: responsible for project partnerships at the NGO Helvetas)