Team

"SWISSAID tells stories of human fates, of hope and change. As an intern, I would like to play a part in these stories and with the right words, take a small step towards a fairer world."

«Getting people enthusiastic about our projects through direct and personal contact, convincing them of their relevance and impact, and gaining their support is meaningful to me and gives me great pleasure.»

"It is wonderful to see how SWISSAID is committed to helping the disadvantaged people of this world so that they can have a dignified and independent life. And to be able to contribute to this myself as a "little hand" is very inspiring."

"Food sovereignty, solidarity and gender equality are three issues that are particularly close to my heart and they are among SWISSAID's core concerns. In my work, I try to increase the visibility of the many activities that are carried out in the name of hope both here and abroad."

"As a partner of cantons, municipalities and companies, I show how our projects provide effective help for autonomy. We all have a social responsibility and it is only right to give back some of our wealth to the poorest people in the world. We cannot help everyone, but there is an old arab proverb that says: "Help one person and you have helped all mankind"".

"Although Switzerland has been my new beloved home since April 2019, Australia, where I led a wonderful life for 22 years, will always remain a special place for me. I am very motivated to work at SWISSAID, helping to creating a better world together with a fantastic team."

"In order for the next generation to inhabit a world that is sustainable and secure, we urgently need to make changes towards more justice, climate and environmental protection. It motivates me that my work at SWISSAID means I can contribute to this, both here in Switzerland and in the partner countries."

"Without our donors, we could not achieve anything. They are the backbone of SWISSAID. They deserve to be treated honestly, transparently and as equals. And that we continually woo them and inspire them with the idea of a fairer world."

"For me, SWISSAID is like a good story: the people behind it are exciting, profound and multi-faceted. The themes are relevant, important and timeless."

"In my many travels through Africa I was able to get to know the country and its people. Their cheerfulness and creativity, despite difficult conditions, impressed me very much. At SWISSAID, I have the opportunity to support the people in this country directly."

"When I started working at SWISSAID, the motto ‘Helping people to help themselves’ was my greatest motivation. It has remained so to this day. In 2002, I was able to visit projects in Myanmar. It was nice to see how the donations were being used."

"I care about the world and its children. The injustice in the world makes me very sad. Through my work — be it only advising donors over the phone what options they have to help us with their money — I have the opportunity to make a difference."

"I am mainly involved with the tenth SWISSAID country, Team Switzerland. I have met incredible people in this team: committed, motivated, uniquely tolerant, humorous and amiable. A team that challenges me every day and for which I gladly give my best!"

"What always impresses me most is the way our projects involve women. They are often the ones who give a project dynamism and enable them to move forward. SWISSAID gives me the ideal opportunity to combine my flair for languages and my fascination for numbers."

"Whether in Asia, Africa or Latin America – project visits are incredibly inspiring. It is a constant reminder to me of how SWISSAID's work makes change towards a socially and ecologically sustainable future possible."

"The encounters with the people from our project countries have taught me that we are all equal at heart. It is enriching to work with people from a different cultural background – offering support, exchanging knowledge and understanding a different point of view."

"I want to play my part in the change that our world needs. SWISSAID uncovers problems, gets stuck in, sows hope. It is a great privilege for me to be able to devote my life to this organisation and to the poorest people in the world."

"I hope that my work – although it seems to be only a grain of sand in a gigantic desert – can help to support the most disadvantaged groups of people. I am particularly concerned about the injustice of land grabbing without regard for the local population and the environment."

"I love the modesty of the people in Myanmar, the hustle and bustle on the Indian roads and the diversity of Tanzania. The issue that particularly interests me is the violence against women in India. It is unimaginable how some women are treated."

"Thinking globally and acting locally is put into practice by SWISSAID by meeting the global challenges of poverty, climate change, environmental destruction and injustice both with local partner organisations in the project countries and through political work in Switzerland. This is sustainable."

"Equal opportunities are an essential prerequisite for the sustainable fight against poverty. SWISSAID supports women directly, but also raises awareness among men and boys. I campaign with conviction against inequalities that restrict rights – whether of women or men."

"What always impresses me when I visit the site: women, farmers and young people in our projects look the SWISSAID team in the eyes, because they feel understood and taken seriously. They know that it is their own project and that they are responsible for its implementation."

"Successful and dignified development puts the people at grassroots level at the heart of every initiative. It strengthens their self-confidence, promotes their strengths, abilities and opportunities – and supports them in claiming their rights."

"Whether it's a climate crisis or social inequality, the world is facing incredibly serious challenges that need to be tackled globally. I see SWISSAID's work as an important part of the solution – and I am committed to it together with over 180 employees worldwide."

"It's great to see how many school children make a commitment to a better world every year by selling SWISSAID trinkets!"

"In cooperation with local organisations and our partners in Switzerland, SWISSAID is laying the foundations for many disadvantaged smallholder families to be able to live a dignified and self-determined life in an intact environment. It gives me pleasure to contribute to the solution."

"All right, we're not saving the world. But I am absolutely convinced that the beneficiaries in our projects are given a unique opportunity to make a tangible improvement in their living conditions. Experience shows that they also seize their chance!"

"By doing their bit, anyone can change the world. Working for an organisation that helps those most in need is in line with my deep desire to help create a better world where people support and care for each other more."

"I like working for SWISSAID because I share the same values. It is inspiring to see that our work really makes a difference in the countries where we operate and that the lives of so many women and their families have improved."

"Eating organic food, regional dishes on the table, equality for women – these are topics which are currently very popular in Switzerland, but which SWISSAID has been working on in the countries of the South for decades. I am convinced that this is the right way to a better future."

"Growing up amidst the wealth of our country, I was upset by the injustices in our world at a young age. With my work at SWISSAID, I can stand up for the people who are still suffering from hunger and extreme poverty."

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"I love writing stories – the digital world offers immense possibilities and plenty of room for creativity. But what we are telling you here is taken straight from life. This honesty, transparency and closeness impressed me from day one at SWISSAID and continues to motivate me to this day."

"Getting involved in the fight against the curse of raw materials is both exciting and absurd. Because it seems natural to me that the local population should benefit from the wealth of their land."

"Gender equality is an issue that is particularly close to my heart. I hope that through my work I can actively contribute to the empowerment of women and the effective exercise of their civil, political, economic and social rights."

"What particularly touches me about working at SWISSAID is the generosity of the farmers, even though their economic resources are very limited. Their behaviour has taught me to be more humane and to approach my fellow human beings as supportively as possible."

"Working in development cooperation is more than a job – it is a choice of lifestyle. We at SWISSAID Ecuador are not just experienced professionals, but above all farmers who support each other and share a love of agro-ecology."

"Through my work at SWISSAID, I have been able to engage intensively with the difficult conditions faced by women and men in rural areas and to recognise their great resilience in the search for solutions. This helps to change the place they live fundamentally for the better."

"SWISSAID places human dignity at the heart of all its interventions. This vision and our shared values are my main motivation for working here. Furthermore, there are no hierarchical barriers in our daily work together."

"SWISSAID aims to shape a society based on gender equality and traditional agricultural knowledge. It works with NGOs led by local people who share the same vision of society and are committed to and passionate about change."

"My work at SWISSAID has confirmed to me that the passion, motivation and perseverance of the people involved are essential factors for the success of development projects. In Tanzania, women farmers with a very low level of education prove this every day."

"I like SWISSAID because it is a learning organisation that adapts to its environment. The experience that impressed me most was in a water project in the municipality of Arzérori. When water gushed out of the ground there despite the difficulties of the terrain, some women and children were moved to tears. They had been waiting for years for this."

"My motivation for working at SWISSAID is that I can help to improve the quality of life of poor and vulnerable families in rural areas. Every day I see how people, especially women, can change themselves and their living environment through access to knowledge and rights."

"Rural seeds connect people across borders, are crucial for food sovereignty and an important response to the climate crisis. Working to ensure that industrial agriculture and seed multinationals do not continue to displace farm-saved seed is a matter close to my heart."

"Considering the huge challenge of limiting global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, the categories "needy", "helpers", "donors" are blurred. SWISSAID convinces me because we are working on an equal footing with the true experts in the field - farmers on four continents -, and are promoting climate-friendly, ecological food systems in both the North and the South."

"Giving small farmers the chance to improve their living conditions is the essence of SWISSAID's work. By providing a platform here for the stories of these people, I share local successes and hopes for global change."

"I am convinced that agro-ecology is the right approach to improving the living conditions of farming families. There are some goals which it takes patience, perseverance and continuous learning to achieve, as well as the belief that even difficult undertakings have a chance of success."

"SWISSAID is a small organisation that is close to the people on the ground. During my first visit to Ecuador, I was impressed by the diversity of the fields cultivated by the beneficiaries of our projects, while on neighbouring plots of land, monocultures grow as far as the eye can see."

"Whether it be small farmers in Colombia who join forces to assert their rights with the local authorities or women in Chad who organise themselves to improve their living conditions together: Seeing people take their future into their own hands is my greatest motivation."

"What motivates me in my work is the opportunity to do something meaningful and to use my skills to defend values that I consider fundamental. Of particular importance to me is the mission that underlies all our SWISSAID activities: the fight for greater social justice and against all forms of discrimination."

"It is encouraging to see that we can involve people from Emmental to Myanmar in our campaigns."