In 2023, against a backdrop of increasing crises, Swiss Solidarity (SwS) maintained its unwavering commitment to those hit by humanitarian crises. Last year, the organisation committed almost CHF 70 million to supporting the victims of humanitarian crises worldwide and vulnerable people in Switzerland. This is the single largest annual amount since 2005, when Swiss Solidarity responded to the tsunami in South-East Asia. Over the course of 2023, Swiss Solidarity raised over CHF 54 million in donations thanks to the solidarity of the people of Switzerland.
In 2023, SwS raised a total of CHF 54,139,557 in donations. The bulk of these donations, over CHF 32 million, went to help the victims of the earthquakes in Syria and Turkey. The Swiss also expressed their solidarity in response to the urgent humanitarian needs arising from the earthquakes in Morocco and Afghanistan and the war in the Middle East. The conflict in Ukraine also continued to attract donations, and the year was brought to a close with a campaign aimed at providing education and training both in Switzerland and around the world.
As demonstrated by the substantial funds raised in 2023 and the solidarity barometer released by SwS in December, solidarity remains a deeply rooted value in Switzerland.
Over the past year, Swiss Solidarity was able to support millions of people. The foundation funded 344 projects to the tune of almost CHF 70 million in 40 countries, including Switzerland. Most of this aid went to projects in Ukraine, Syria, Turkey, East Africa and Switzerland.
As Swiss Solidarity’s director Miren Bengoa points out: “In 2023, Swiss Solidarity again demonstrated the relevance of its mission. By working with our partner NGOs, we turned Switzerland’s incredible solidarity into tangible outcomes, making a real difference in the lives of millions of people in Switzerland and worldwide.”
One year ago, on 6 February 2023, violent earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northern Syria, killing more than 50,000 people and bringing colossal destruction to both countries. This disaster, the worst to hit the region in a century, exacerbated the precarious situation of Syrian communities already battered by 12 years of conflict.
Faced with the sheer scale of the disaster, the response in Switzerland was exemplary and resulted in donations totalling more than CHF 32 million. In the days immediately following the earthquakes, our Swiss partner NGOs delivered emergency aid on the ground, and over the months that followed, they continued to distribute drinking water, food, hygiene kits, shelters, blankets and heating stoves. SwS’s partner NGOs also provided psychosocial support and set up mobile clinics to provide healthcare services. They helped repair buildings and vital infrastructure, including drinking water supply systems. In 2023, Swiss Solidarity committed a total of over CHF 13 million to more than 20 projects.
The humanitarian needs persist to this day and many families are still living in unsafe shelters. In particular, survivors face challenges in accessing drinking water and healthcare. As the crisis endures, new issues are arising, including a lack of access to the labour market and education. Rebuilding will take years, if not decades. Swiss Solidarity is therefore continuing with its solidarity campaign, stressing that donations remain essential to helping those affected by the crisis to live in dignity once again. Donations can still be made at www.swiss-solidarity.org.
In late 2023, Swiss Solidarity launched a national campaign to provide access to education and training for children and young people in Switzerland and around the world. In French-speaking Switzerland, the campaign took the form of the Coeur à Coeur fundraiser held in partnership with RTS. Despite the uncertain, inflation-laden situation in Switzerland, solidarity prevailed and led to donations totalling over CHF 4 million.
A number of humanitarian crises arose in the last quarter of 2023, leading Swiss Solidarity to launch solidarity campaigns on three separate occasions: following the earthquakes in Morocco and then in Afghanistan, and lastly in response to the war in the Middle East.
Today, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is worsening. More than 26,000 people have lost their lives, and another 60,000 have been injured. The region is on the brink of famine. In light of the suffering of the civilian population, Swiss Solidarity is continuing its appeal for solidarity—donations can be made at www.swiss-solidarity.org.
The full 2023 Swiss Solidarity Annual Report and annual financial statements will be published in April 2024.
Appendix:
List of partner NGO spokespersons to contact for information about aid provided in Syria and Turkey.
Swiss Solidarity’s director of programmes has just returned from a project visit to Turkey and is also available for interviews.
Swiss Solidarity, 1211 Geneva 8
