heks

Humanitarian Aid

HEKS gives humanitarian aid following natural disasters, and during or after armed conflicts, with a view to achieving an immediate and sustained improvement in the lives and circumstances of the people affected. HEKS empowers people who are at an economic and social disadvantage and people who are suffering political oppression, helping them to help themselves and working with them, wherever possible, to devise workable solutions. This sustainable project work, based on a partnership approach, strengthens the self-determination and dignity of the people.

The groups primarily targeted by HEKS are the poorer members of the population in rural regions. They often suffer the greatest damage in catastrophes, yet are often overlooked by international aid initiatives.

In the countries focused on by HEKS, humanitarian aid is teamed with disaster risk management in four areas:

  1. Emergency aid (e.g. distribution of relief supplies, provision of emergency accommodation)
  2. Reconstruction (e.g. dwellings and community infrastructures)
  3. Rehabilitation (income generation projects)
  4. Prevention of disasters and conflicts (e.g. civil engineering and agronomic projects, preventing or defusing conflicts). The mode of intervention is always guided by the specific needs of the population in any given case and is based on the skills of the local partner organisation.


In selected countries which are not the primary focus, HEKS concentrates its intervention on emergency aid, reconstruction and rehabilitation. HEKS has, however, built up a pool of delegates to ensure that, in case of need, it has rapid access to skilled professionals.

In adopting humanitarian aid as its clear priority, HEKS ensures that it has the necessary expertise and the required experience to guarantee the quality of its project work even in a complicated situation or a chaotic crisis surrounded by a media frenzy.

HEKS is a member of ACT (Action by Churches Together), the global alliance of Protestant and Orthodox churches and related aid organisations under the umbrella of the World Council of Churches. HEKS is also an accredited partner organisation of Swiss Solidarity.

Projects

Drought crisis in Ethiopia
HEKS is providing 300,000 francs in emergency aid for victims of the drought crisis in Ethiopia. HEKS’ partner organisation OSHO is distributing food to 8,000 of those affected in the project region of Borana during the initial phase.
Typhoon in the Philippines
HEKS is providing 400,000 francs in reconstruction aid for 1700 families in the north of the Philippines. Yet another typhoon swept across the Philippines in October 2010, leaving more than two million victims in its wake. Damage is estimated to be in excess of 30 million francs.
Floods in Pakistan
Together with Caritas, HEKS has provided emergency aid for the flood victims in northwest Pakistan. Packages of food as well as household and hygiene items were given out in summer 2010. In addition, winter clothing and blankets were distributed from mid-October to the end of December 2010 to help the homeless through the winter. Preparations are currently being made for the reconstruction of destroyed schools.
Earthquake in Haiti
Swiss Interchurch Aid (HEKS) has been involved in development and emergency aid projects in Haiti for 37 years, cooperates with local partner organisations and has a coordination office in Port-au-Prince. This excellent network and staff on the ground enabled it to begin providing emergency aid very quickly after the earthquake.
Archive
http://www.zewo.ch/
Contact:
HEKS, Seminarstrasse 28, Postfach, CH-8042 Zürich, Phone +41 44 360 88 00, Fax +41 44 360 88 01, info@heks.ch | Post office account 80-1115-1