Action for World Solidarity

Action for World Solidarity, known in German as Aktionsgemeinschaft Solidarische Welt e.V. and commonly abbreviated ASW, is a German non-governmental development organization headquartered in Berlin. Founded in 1957, it is among Germany's oldest organizations working in development policy. The association emerged from the Appeal for the Hungry, a public campaign initiated by Lothar Kreyssig that asked people to give up one meal each week and donate the saved money to people facing hunger in poorer countries. The organization supports projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with an emphasis on initiatives conceived and carried out by local people. Its operating philosophy differs from development models based on sending foreign personnel abroad: ASW generally does not dispatch development workers, instead providing financial and non-financial support to local partner organizations and communities. Projects are expected to benefit the wider community and to strengthen disadvantaged groups' ability to organize, act, and pursue social change independently. ASW's main thematic priorities include human rights, women's empowerment, self-organization and self-help groups, sustainable and organic agriculture, and environmental protection. Its work also includes development education and campaigning in Germany, reflecting the organization's view that global inequality requires changes in attitudes and policies in the countries of the global North as well as improvements in the global South. The organization's stated vision is a more solidaristic world without the existing divisions between rich and poor, North and South, and powerful and disenfranchised groups. A notable turning point came in 1975, when ASW's board decided to end child sponsorships. The organization concluded that, although sponsorships could increase donations, they could isolate individual children and provide limited benefits to their families and villages. Support for children's homes was phased out by 1982, after which the association concentrated more strongly on community-based assistance. In India, a long-standing ASW office and growing responsibility for Indian partners eventually contributed to the establishment of the Centre for World Solidarity in 1992 as an independent partner organization. ASW also developed educational and campaign activities in Germany during the 1970s and 1980s. Its children's magazine SAMsolidam was published four times a year as an educational tool intended to challenge stereotypes and prejudice; publication ended in 2000. The association is largely funded by private donations, while larger projects may receive third-party funding. It has held the Donation Seal of Approval from the German Central Institute for Social Issues since 1994 and has been a signatory of the Transparent Civil Society Initiative since 2011. ASW is also associated with German and international civil-society networks concerned with development, humanitarian assistance, environmental issues, global justice, and political participation.

Action for World Solidarity traces its origins to 1957, when Lothar Kreyssig initiated the Appeal for the Hungry. The appeal asked people to forgo one meal each week and donate the resulting savings to people experiencing hunger in poorer countries. It was signed by prominent figures from German public life, including Heinrich Albertz, Willy Brandt, Heinz Galinski, Kurt Scharf, and Otto Suhr. The campaign led to the establishment of Action for the Hungry, the organization from which ASW developed. The construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 divided the original movement's institutional development. The East German context contributed to the creation of INKOTA, an information and coordination organization established with support from the Protestant church in East Germany. In West Germany, the non-denominational branch evolved into Action for World Solidarity. From its early years, the organization developed a distinctive approach to international development: rather than sending development workers abroad, it sought to support projects initiated and managed by people in the countries concerned. This principle became especially visible in the organization's reassessment of child sponsorship. In 1975, the board decided to discontinue sponsorship programs because it believed that the model focused attention on individual children while doing too little for their communities. Sponsorship could also separate children symbolically from their families and villages. Support for children's homes was phased out by 1982, and ASW redirected its resources toward community aid and locally organized development. India was one of the organization's early areas of work, with ASW maintaining an office there from an early stage. During the 1970s and afterward, Indian partners increasingly assumed responsibility for advising and mentoring projects. This process eventually led to the founding of the Centre for World Solidarity in 1992. CWS became an independent Indian partner rather than simply an overseas office, reflecting ASW's preference for locally rooted institutions and decision-making. Alongside project support, ASW expanded its educational and campaign work in Germany during the 1970s and 1980s. The children's magazine SAMsolidam was published four times a year and sought to address prejudice and stereotypes at an early age. The magazine was discontinued in 2000. More broadly, ASW's German activities aim to encourage public reflection on the political, economic, and social relationships underlying global inequality. The association's current model relies largely on private donations, supplemented by third-party funds for major projects. Its thematic agenda centers on human rights, women's empowerment, local self-organization, sustainable and organic agriculture, and environmental protection. Projects are located across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and are expected to be initiated and implemented locally while serving the wider community. ASW's accountability profile includes recognition from the German Central Institute for Social Issues. It has held the DZI Donation Seal of Approval since 1994. Since 2011, it has also been a signatory of the Transparent Civil Society Initiative associated with Transparency International. The association participates in German development, humanitarian, environmental, and global-justice networks, including VENRO and other civil-society coalitions. Its institutional identity remains that of a Berlin-based, locally focused development NGO rather than a commercial consumer brand.

• 2011

  Signatory of the Transparent Civil Society Initiative

  [1]Action for World Solidarityen.wikipedia.org

  ASW became a signatory of the Initiative Transparente Zivilgesellschaft associated with Transparency International.

• 2000

  SAMsolidam publication ends

  [1]Action for World Solidarityen.wikipedia.org

  The children's education magazine SAMsolidam, published during the organization's earlier education and campaign work, ceased publication.

• 1994

  DZI Donation Seal of Approval begins

  [1]Action for World Solidarityen.wikipedia.org

  ASW began receiving the Donation Seal of Approval from the German Central Institute for Social Issues.

• 1992

  Centre for World Solidarity is established in India

  [1]Action for World Solidarityen.wikipedia.org

  The Centre for World Solidarity emerged as an independent Indian partner after years of increasing responsibility among Indian project partners.

• 1982

  Transition away from children's-home support is completed

  [1]Action for World Solidarityen.wikipedia.org

  Support for children's homes had run out, completing the organization's shift toward community assistance.

• 1975

  Child sponsorship policy is discontinued

  [1]Action for World Solidarityen.wikipedia.org

  ASW decided to end child sponsorships and move toward community-based aid.

• 1961

  Organizational development splits after the Berlin Wall

  [1]Action for World Solidarityen.wikipedia.org

  The Berlin Wall's construction divided the original movement's development, with the West German branch evolving into ASW and East German cooperation contributing to INKOTA.

• 1957

  Appeal for the Hungry leads to organizational founding

  [1]Action for World Solidarityen.wikipedia.org

  Lothar Kreyssig's Appeal for the Hungry, supported by prominent German public figures, led to the founding of Action for the Hungry, the predecessor of Action for World Solidarity.

A locally led, non-denominational German development organization that prioritizes community ownership, self-help, human rights, women's empowerment, sustainable agriculture, and environmental protection over externally managed aid delivery.

• Development assistance · 1957

  Locally led development projects

  ASW provides financial and non-financial support to projects initiated and implemented by local organizations and communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The model emphasizes local responsibility, community-wide benefit, self-organization, and long-term social transformation rather than the deployment of foreign development workers.

• Human rights and social development

  Women's empowerment programs

  A central ASW program area supports women's self-organization, self-help groups, and participation in community development. The approach is designed to strengthen the capacity of disadvantaged women and local groups to define priorities and implement collective solutions.

• Environmental and rural development

  Sustainable and organic agriculture initiatives

  ASW supports sustainable and organic agriculture as part of its environmental and livelihood priorities. These initiatives are intended to reinforce locally controlled development while addressing ecological protection and the economic position of rural communities.

• Educational publication

  SAMsolidam

  SAMsolidam was a children's magazine published four times a year during ASW's education and campaign work in Germany. It sought to challenge prejudice and stereotypes before they became established. Publication ended in 2000.

• 1980SAMsolidam children's education program

  Germany

  Through the children's magazine SAMsolidam, ASW addressed prejudice and stereotypes in development education.

  Outcome. The magazine continued until 2000, when publication was discontinued.

  Source
• 1970Development education and campaign work

  Germany

  During the 1970s and 1980s, ASW expanded activities intended to inform people in Germany about global inequality, development, and relationships between the global North and South.

  Outcome. The work broadened ASW's role beyond project funding to include public education and social change in Germany.

  Source
• 1957Appeal for the Hungry

  Germany

  The campaign asked people to give up one meal per week and donate the money saved to people facing hunger in poorer countries. It became the founding initiative of Action for the Hungry.

  Outcome. The appeal led to the creation of the organization that later developed into Action for World Solidarity.

  Source

• 1992

  Develop the Centre for World Solidarity as an independent Indian partnerStrategy

  Background

  ASW's Indian work had increasingly shifted responsibility for project mentoring to Indian partners.

  Action taken

  The Centre for World Solidarity was established as an independently acting partner organization.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement reflected ASW's wider preference for locally rooted institutions and partner-led implementation.

  Source

• 1975

  End child sponsorships in favor of community aidStrategy

  Background

  ASW concluded that child sponsorships could raise donations while isolating sponsored children and producing limited benefits for their families and villages.

  Action taken

  The board decided to stop implementing child sponsorships, and support for children's homes was phased out by 1982.

  Aftermath

  The organization concentrated more intensively on community-based assistance and locally organized development.

  Source

1. 1Action for World Solidarityen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Action for World Solidarity official websiteaswnet.de