© Helvetas

Strengthening Partnerships and Promoting Localization

© Helvetas

We work to ensure that all development initiatives and emergency aid projects we are involved in are supported by local actors. To this end, we promote strategic partnerships and invest in them. And we are increasingly involved as a knowledge broker, organizer, advisor, facilitator and advocate.  

Changes that everyone supports  

We want to promote development that offers all people a dignified life. But development cooperation is only successful and sustainable if international NGOs such as Helvetas work together with people, organizations, authorities and companies from the respective countries — when the changes that affect them are supported by them.  

Local actors also bring in-depth knowledge of the country context, know the challenges and needs, and enjoy the trust of the population. We work with them to identify challenges and develop solutions. 

Building local expertise   

Strong, reliable partnerships are essential for this. Building these partnerships also means empowering local people and developing their skills in such a way that they can continue the project independently and through their own responsibility in the future. 

Local communities learn to initiate development policy change processes. Helvetas' training courses include specific expertise and know-how, knowledge of financing and infrastructure, as well as soft skills such as networking, leadership and change management. This enables them to optimally perform their role. 

In the course of a project, local actors should increasingly take responsibility for a project and continue planning, financing and implementation independently. In the best case, this happens for an entire country program — as in the case of Bhutan, where the former Helvetas country program is now being continued autonomously by a local organization.  

Learning from each other 

Over seven decades of cooperation with our partner countries, we have acquired a wealth of experience. Helvetas has developed a comprehensive understanding of the contexts in which it works and the ways in which it can improve its work together with local partners. 

This also offers the opportunity to bring concrete experience to another project (in the same or a different country). For example, the suspension bridge project in Nepal was successfully introduced in South-South cooperation in other countries that face similar topographical challenges.  

Carefully selected partnerships  

Our partners are individuals, organizations, state or civil society actors and private companies. We enter into these partnerships on the basis of quality and exclusion criteria. They help us to assess the chances of success and sustainability of a collaboration, and ensure that there is a common vision and shared values. The criteria also help us to assess risks and ethical standards. 

Our services 

Helvetas plans and supports projects and advises other organizations and donors in the following areas: 

  • Expertise in mainstreaming partnership and capacity development in strategy, programme and project planning in sectors and working fields including decentralization and local governance and market systems development
  • Design and planning of feasibility studies and assessments
  • Capacity development of individuals, organizations and sectors related to our thematic expertise
  • Organizational development of civil society organizations, small and medium-sized businesses and public institutions
  • Facilitating multi-stakeholder approaches
  • Backstopping: Project backstopping; coaching; trainings; development of training manuals and material; creation of innovative tools; facilitation of workshops and change processes; capitalization of experiences; knowledge management tools and platforms
  • Support in integrating partnership and capacity development in monitoring systems, mid-term reviews, end evaluations and impact assessments
  • Geographical coverage: Our advisors in the South and the North provide support to projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America

© Fatoumata Diabate
Private Sector Development

Dynamizing Agriculture for the Youth

© Helvetas
Laos Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Fostering Civic Engagement

© Helvetas / Patrick Rohr
Laos Private Sector Development

Good Tea Fetches Good Prices

© Helvetas/Nomwindé Sawadogo
Burkina Faso WASH & Water Governance

Health for Schoolchildren and Their Families

© Helvetas / Simon B. Opladen
Nepal Private Sector Development

Riverbed Vegetables

© Helvetas
Nepal WASH & Water Governance

A Fair Share of the Water

© Helvetas
Ethiopia Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Taking Responsibility for Village Administration

© Helvetas
Mozambique WASH & Water Governance

Small towns water supply

Mozambique Education and Vocational Skills

Training for the Real Working World

jeune formation carrelage Haïti | © Helvetas
Haiti Education and Vocational Skills

Training young people for the working world

© Helvetas
Haiti Climate & Disaster Resilience

Better Prepared for Storms

© Helvetas / Simon Opladen
Guatemala WASH & Water Governance

Good Governance Makes for Good Water

Guatemala Private Sector Development

Women´s Agro-entrepreneurship in the Highlands

© Helvetas / Flurina Rothenberger
Myanmar Skills, Jobs and Income

Well Equipped for the Working World

© Helvetas
Vietnam Private Sector Development

Fighting Poverty with Responsible Tourism

© Helvetas
Bhutan Education and Vocational Skills

Building Trades with a Future for Young Men and Women

© Helvetas / Christian Bobst
Kosovo Education and Vocational Skills

Jobs for Young People

© Helvetas/Stephane Brabant
Benin Education and Vocational Skills

Making Up Lost Years of School

© Helvetas / Patrick Rohr
Ethiopia Skills, Jobs and Income

Know-How and Skills for Young Tradespeople

© Helvetas
Ethiopia Climate & Disaster Resilience

Pastoralists Take Charge of Natural Resource Management

© Helvetas
Pakistan Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Economic Prospects for Peace and Stability

Sri Lanka Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Making Labor Migration a Success

© Helvetas / Bruna Fossati
Sri Lanka Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Young People on Course for Reconciliation

© Helvetas / Patrick Rohr
Nepal Climate & Disaster Resilience

Fresh Start after the Earthquake

Vietnam_Biotrade_Woman | © Helvetas
Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar Private Sector Development

Ethical Trade in Botanicals

© Helvetas
Tajikistan Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Justice for All

© DLDP
Albania Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Building Confidence in Local Government

© Helvetas / Patrick Rohr
Bosnia-Herzegovina Private Sector Development

Making Markets and Jobs

© Helvetas / Armand Habazaj
Albania, Serbia Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Social Sciences for a Better Society

Climate & Disaster Resilience

New Strategies to Adapt to Climate Change

North Macedonia Biodiversity | © Helvetas
North Macedonia Climate & Disaster Resilience

Conserving Biodiversity, Managing Complex Landscapes

© Helvetas
Bangladesh Private Sector Development

A healthy diet for women and children

© Helvetas / Simon B. Opladen
Bolivia Private Sector Development

Cocoa harvesting, protecting forests

Anfanni 2023 | © Simon B. Opladen
Benin Private Sector Development

Encouraging Rural Youth to Become Entrepreneurs

© Helvetas
Tajikistan Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Water for Sustainable Development

© Helvetas
Tajikistan Rural Access

Organic to Markets

© Helvetas
Bhutan Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Partnership for Diverse Civil Society Actions

Bangladesh_CSO-LA_5 | © Julia Thienhaus / Helvetas
Bangladesh Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Strengthening Capacities of the Disadvantaged

© Helvetas
Tajikistan Climate & Disaster Resilience

For a Self-Determined Life in Dignity

Albania Private Sector Development

Making Markets Work for the Youth

© Helvetas
Nepal Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Making Labor Migration an Informed Choice

© Helvetas
Nepal Education and Vocational Skills

Safer Houses, and Skills for Future Employment

© Helvetas
Kyrgyzstan Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Public service improvement in Kyrgyzstan

© Helvetas
Kyrgyzstan Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Contributing to a More Cohesive Society in Kyrgyzstan

International bloggers visited Kyrgyzstan | © Helvetas
Kyrgyzstan Private Sector Development

Sustainable Winter Tourism Development Project

© S4RE
Kosovo Education and Vocational Skills

Matching Skills with Demand in the Labor Market

North Macedonia Education and Vocational Skills

Market-Oriented Education for a Prosperous Society

© DEMOS
Kosovo Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Building a Democratic Kosovo

Vietnam, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, India Partnership & Capacity Development

Value Chain Capacity Building Network

© Helvetas
India WASH & Water Governance

Fair and Good – for People and Planet

© Helvetas
Vietnam Private Sector Development

Swiss Import Promotion Program

© Water Sanitation Mozambique
Global WASH & Water Governance

Swiss Water Partnership

© Water for food
Global Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Tackling Corruption in the Water Sector

© HelvetasBhutan
Bhutan Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Bringing Decision-Making to Local Communities

© Winfried Heusinger / Helvetas
Global Education and Vocational Skills

Decent Jobs Thanks to Vocational Training

© Helvetas/Singye Wangchuk
Global Private Sector Development

Networking for Employment and Income

Switzerland Climate & Disaster Resilience

For Climate and Disaster Resilience - Swiss NGO DRR Platform

Global Private Sector Development

Postharvest Management in Sub-Saharan Africa

© Helvetas
Guatemala Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Entrepreneurship in the Guatemalan Highlands

Sri Lanka Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

A journey towards a Human Trafficking Free Sri Lanka

© Helvetas
Madagascar WASH & Water Governance

Water - the Source of Life

Open History Exhibition Dawei | © Helvetas Myanmar
Myanmar Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Open History: Arts for Peace

Bangladesh Private Sector Development

Disability Inclusion in Bangladesh

Bosnia-Herzegovina Education and Vocational Skills

Empowering Youth to Build a Better Future in Bosnia and Herzegovina

© Helvetas / Simon B.Opladen
Tanzania Education and Vocational Skills

Youth Employment through Skills Enhancement (YES)

Serbia Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

ACT for a Stronger Civil Society

Rasht Valley Tajikistan | © Helvetas
Tajikistan Gender & Social Equity

Improved Nutrition and Health for Rural Families

Kyrgyzstan Private Sector Development

Sustainable Tourism Strengthens People and Nature

Myanmar Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

For a Pluralistic, Inclusive and Peaceful Society

© Helvetas
Vietnam Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Strengthening Land Rights of Ethnic Minorities

 Mother with daughter preparing food | © Patrick Rohr
Laos Climate & Disaster Resilience

Connecting for Improved Nutrition

Mozambique Humanitarian Response

WASH Activities for IDPs and Host Communities

Vietnam Private Sector Development

Conservation-Friendly Enterprise Development

© Helvetas/Simon B.Opladen
Burkina Faso Rural Access

A Road to Change Village Life

© Dalia Khamissy
Lebanon Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Strengthening Civil Society through Digital Literacy

© Helvetas / Arben Llapashtica
Armenia, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine, Montenegro Education and Vocational Skills

Building Economies Where All Can Prosper

Myanmar Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Artists Relief Fund

© Helvetas / Luigi Baldelli
Madagascar Private Sector Development

Boosting Income to Boost Rainforest Conservation

© Helvetas/Andrew Bartlett
Laos Private Sector Development

Towards a Greener and More Profitable Future

Vietnam Sustainable and Inclusive Economies

Circular Economy Cocoa: From Bean to Bar

© Helvetas Pakistan
Pakistan Humanitarian Response

Covid 19 Rapid Recovery

© Helvetas Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan Climate & Disaster Resilience

Green Economy for People and Environment

© Helvetas Bolivia
Bolivia Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Economic Empowerment for a Strong Community

Mozambique WASH Services

Health Promotion in Cabo Delgado

Tunisia, Mali, Niger Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Supporting children and young people on migration routes

Peru Private Sector Development

MiCacao Project

© Helvetas
Nepal Climate & Disaster Resilience

Green economic development in Nepal

Banana trunks | © Helvetas Germany & CRED
Vietnam Sustainable and Inclusive Economies

Economic opportunities

© Helvetas / Alim
Bangladesh Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Supporting communities to raise their voice

Mozambique Education and Vocational Skills

Young people assert themselves in work life

Uzbekistan Education and Vocational Skills

Vocational Education on a Moving Ground

Nepal Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Support for returning migrant workers

Ukraine Humanitarian Response

Safe Shelters in Times of War

Ukraine Private Sector Development

Fair Opportunities for a Fresh Start in Business

© Polina Cupcea
Moldova Skills, Jobs and Income

Work for Refugees and Locals in Moldova

Training of women on picking vegetables at Palosi, Peshawar | © Foundation for Rural Development
Pakistan Food & Nutrition

Re-Food Pakistan

© Axel Fassio
Madagascar Climate & Disaster Resilience

Growing Cocoa and Protecting the Forest at the Same Time

© Helvetas
Georgia Private Sector Development

Strengthening Local Economies in Georgia

Laos Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Empowering Civil Society for Citizen Engagement

Laos Climate & Disaster Resilience

Dam Safety for Disaster Resilience

© Helvetas/Patric R.
Ethiopia Water Food and Climate

SEGORP II: Community Resilience On The Rise

© Helvetas Myanmar
Myanmar Skills, Jobs and Income

Responsible Business Fund Plus (RBF+)

Bolivia Climate Smart Agriculture

Yungas Transition

© Helvetas Vietnam
Vietnam Skills, Jobs and Income

Organic Spice Production

Myanmar Humanitarian Response

Earthquake Emergency Response in Myanmar

Tajikistan Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Establishing Climate-Resilient Groundwater Resources

Further information

Download and read our publications on different partnership and capacity development related topics.

Our Working Principles and Approaches

We strive for a fairer world in which everyone can fulfill their basic needs. We support people in taking charge of improving their livelihoods sustainably.

Our Advisory Services

Meet and contact Helvetas’ multi-disciplinary team of development experts advising the private sector, civil society and other organizations.

Our Topics

Helvetas’ work impacts livelihoods: water, food and the environment. Thanks to trainings and capacity building people better determine their living conditions.