31.01.2023

Ukraine, Pakistan & East Africa - Our 2022 for people in need

Major humanitarian crises, a historic collection and an extraordinary wave of solidarity characterised the Swiss Solidarity year 2022. We made 326 projects worth 56 million Swiss francs possible last year. Thanks to the support of the Swiss people, Swiss Solidarity collected a total of over 154 million Swiss francs for Ukraine, the floods in Pakistan and the devastating drought in East Africa, which is the second highest amount collected in one year in our history.

Swiss Solidarity’s 2022 was marked by great solidarity, especially for the campaign for those affected by the war in Ukraine. But humanitarian crises with less attention, such as the widespread flooding in Pakistan in August and the devastating drought on the Horn of Africa in November, also echoed a spirit of solidarity. In total, Swiss Solidarity collected 154,249,490 Swiss francs in donations. The foundation used over 56 million in 326 projects of its Swiss partner organisations in 42 countries worldwide.

The tremendous solidarity of the Swiss people shows the importance and significance of Swiss Solidarity as Switzerland's solidarity reflex. It is our great responsibility to use the donations we receive as effectively and sustainably as possible in high-quality projects.
Miren Bengoa, director of Swiss Solidarity

Focus on aid in Ukraine

By the end of the year, Swiss Solidarity had received over 130 million Swiss francs in donations for aid in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. Immediately after the outbreak of the war, Swiss Solidarity used the donations to finance aid projects run by its Swiss partner organizations on the ground to meet the most urgent needs. These included, for example, the distribution of warm food, medical care and psychosocial support for those affected. In the course of the war, the aid extended to the whole of Ukraine and is currently concerned with the distribution of cash assistance so that those affected can receive help quickly and efficiently, the distribution of heating and insulating material against the cold winter, and projects to rebuild and repair small and medium-sized infrastructure.

Floods in Pakistan

At the end of August, Swiss Solidarity responded to the enormous humanitarian needs following the widespread floods in Pakistan and received more than CHF 5.3 million in donations for the aid. With the money collected, the emergency aid from the Swiss partner organizations was quickly financed and projects for food distribution, drinking water supply, urgently needed relief supplies and medical care were made possible.

Hunger in East Africa

On 23 November, Swiss Solidarity organized a national solidarity day for the Drought in East Africa with the support of SRG and collected 13.8 million Swiss francs for aid in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia by the end of the year. Several emergency aid projects in the form of cash support for the reconstruction of destroyed livelihoods, treatment of malnutrition in children and pregnant or breastfeeding women and access to water for Swiss partner organizations on site were already financed in the autumn.

L’Afrique de l’Est face à la faim

Other topics of Swiss Solidarity’s work were the financing of projects for children and help in Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power and projects for refugees in Europe. More than 11.5 million francs were used in Switzerland to support homeless people, refugees from the Ukraine war and to support young people and children in need, among others.

Swiss Solidarity’s full annual report for 2022 will be published in April 2023.

All our fundraising campaigns

If you have any questions or would like to know more about our Foundation, please contact us. We will be happy to answer you.