© Helvetas / Fatoumata Diabate

Our Principles and Approaches

© Helvetas / Fatoumata Diabate

Helvetas strives for a fairer world in which every person can fulfill her or his basic needs. We support women and men in taking charge of improving their livelihoods in a sustainable manner and in working together as partners. The impact of our work is the product of a of a three-pronged approach: project work, thematic and methodological advice as well as policy dialogue at local, regional and international level. In Switzerland, awareness raising efforts and our fairtrade shop complete our commitment.

Our principles

  • We work in partnership on the basis of shared values, and strengthen our partners in their autonomy.
  • We shape our programs in an innovative and sustainable manner.
  • We actively engage in development policy dialogue seeking to influence international regulatory frameworks towards being more just and responsive to the demands of developing countries.
  • We work with civil society organizations, private sector and government actors and promote exchange among them at local, national and international levels.
  • We take into account the local context. In fragile situations, we engage in conflict prevention and management.
  • We foster intercultural dialogue, the exchange of experiences and knowledge and thus learn for our future work.
  • We uphold good governance and democratic accountability, including the fight against corruption.
  • We work in an outcome-oriented and efficient manner. As a learning organization, we systematically monitor the results and impacts of our programs and projects.
  • We are committed to transparency and accountability towards our partners and stakeholders. We foster open internal and external communication.
  • We support the professional and personal development of our personnel.

Guiding principles of our project work

Development cooperation is challenging. It takes place in a difficult environment and requires staff to have a wide variety of skills. Technical knowledge alone is insufficient for successful and sustainable development. Social skills and the openness to engage with different cultural values are just as crucial.

Respect for the people we work with and striving to learn and grow from the dialogue with our local partners build the bedrock of Helvetas’ development work. Sharing knowledge and experiences across different cultures and geographical borders has been part of our mission. Online sharing platforms have made discussions fast and globally available. Helvetas believes that international development depends on a dialogue between cultures and on spaces that allow men and women to express their needs and abilities freely.

Helvetas is convinced that development can only be effective if the conditions of long-term engagement are met. We have gained a wealth of experience from more than six decades of working in the Global South. The following principles guide our work:

Proximity to the grassroots

The needs and interests of the grassroots local population are central to Helvetas’ work. Local actors must be in the driver’s seat when determining the kind of support most urgently needed. The participation of all – men and women – in planning and implementing projects is our core approach. When involving local populations we show pathways to improving their living conditions.

Helvetas interventions carefully map and build on the development efforts of other governmental and non-governmental organizations to ensure lasting, sustainable and widespread impact.

Partnership based on mutual trust

Successful development collaboration requires strong local partners, who can build a bridge between foreign aid and domestic needs. Working with local partners is imperative for Helvetas such as non-governmental organizations, government bodies or actors from the private sector. Collaboration is based on mutual respect and respect for each other's autonomy.

Helvetas values an open exchange of information and clear agreements on joint goals, allocation of responsibilities as well as contribution of ressources. We avoid dependence and empower partners to run projects on their own. Helvetas systematically supports the training and capacity building of partner organizations and their staff.

Self-determined development

Through development cooperation, we support women and men in taking charge of improving their livelihoods in a sustainable manner. We avoid any actions that degrade people to the status of simple “beneficiaries.” We attempt, whenever possible, to link up with ongoing processes and to support existing organizations – or else to influence the general conditions so that autonomous movements and organizations can emerge and become active. We strengthen the independence of our partners – whether they be local people, local partner organizations or the authorities.

The goal of a development project must be to allow people, organizations and political units to live, operate and determine their actions without outside help. Change requires time and effort. Helvetas advocates for a long-term commitment to projects and country programs.

© Helvetas / Christian Bobst
WIN,REC,ECC © Helvetas / Christian Bobst
1/5
© Helvetas / Joerg Boethling
Afrika,Anbau,Bauer,Bauern,Baumwolle,Baumwollernte,Baumwollkapsel,Baumwollpflanze,Bio,Biobauern,Biobaumwolle,Burkina Faso,Dorf,Entwicklung,Ernte,Fairer Handel,Fairtrade,Farmer,Faser,Faserpflanzen,Frau,Frauen,Landwirtschaft,Naturfaser,Oekologie,Pflanze,Rohstoffe,Trade,africa,african,afrikanische,afrikanischer,agriculture,biological,biologischer,boll formation,clean clothes,cotton,cotton made in Africa,development,ernten,farming,feld,felder,fibre,field,harvest,harvesting,kba,kontrolliert oekologischer,laendliche,natural,oekologischer,organic,pfluecken,plant,pluck,resources,rural,transfair,woman,women © Helvetas / Joerg Boethling
2/5
© Helvetas / Simon B. Opladen
Ackerbau agriculture,Mann man,Bruecke bridge,Riverbed farming © Helvetas / Simon B. Opladen
3/5
© Helvetas / Flurina Rothenberger
Chaung Gwa Village,Dry Zone,Myanmar Hanspeter Bundi 2017,Nyom Tun 38 with sunglasses is the specialist for the soothing h,S4RLD,Skill Development Project,Soap Maker Than Than Maw 32 in Flower Print Blouse © Helvetas / Flurina Rothenberger
4/5
© Helvetas / Patrick Rohr
Family of Mitra Tamang,35,earthquake victim,husband of Pampha Tamang,28,and father of Samir Tamang,3,and Susma Tamang,10. Graduated trainee of Employment Fund (EF) for earthquake res,earthquake resiliant house) © Helvetas / Patrick Rohr
5/5

Further information

Selected projects

© 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

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

© Helvetas/K M Asad
Bangladesh WASH Services

More resilient communities

© 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
Kyrgyzstan Private Sector Development

Creating Jobs to Escape Poverty

© 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

Mali Climate & Disaster Resilience

New Strategies to Adapt to Climate Change

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

© 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

© Helvetas
Kyrgyzstan Education and Vocational Skills

Providing the Local Industry With Professionals

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

Value Chain Capacity Building Network

Tanzania Private Sector Development

Climate-Smart Organic Cotton

© 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)

Peru Climate & Disaster Resilience

Andes Resilient for Climate Change

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

Tanzania Private Sector Development

Save Safe Food Project-Hifadhi Nafaka Salama (SSF)

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 / KM Asad
Bangladesh Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Improved access to migration systems

© 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

Tanzania Education and Vocational Skills

Lets Go Digital - VSOMO

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, 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

Pakistan Humanitarian Response

Flood emergency response in Pakistan

© 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

"You see, we have all the windows fixed" said Tonya Vasilivna. "We weren't here when shrapnells were flying everywhere and damaged our roof, windows, rooms. Now we have roof fixed and windows thanks to Helvetas and DESPRO Helvetas’ partner organization". | © Iva Zímová/Panos Pictures
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

Peru Climate & Disaster Resilience

Water in Emergencies Project

Bangladesh Skills, Jobs and Income

Feeding new job opportunities

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

Strenghtening Local Economies in Georgia

Peru WASH & Water Governance

Water for Andean Cities

© Axel Fassio
Madagascar Climate & Disaster Resilience

Growing cocoa and protecting the forest at the same time

Peru Private Sector Development

SeCompetitivo Programme - Phase III

Other topics that might interest you

Learning & Innovation

Building the capacities of staff and partners to effectively share what they know, to learn together and create effective solutions is crucial to our success.

Our Impact

As a learning organization we assess the impact of our interventions to improve our work and to ensure accountability vis-a-vis our donors and partners.

Partnership and Capacity Development

Sustainable change must be owned by national actors. Working in partnerships is a fundamental principle of Helvetas’ work.