Schüler Helfen Leben

Schüler Helfen Leben (SHL) is a German non-profit organization founded in 1992 by students from Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate, in response to the Yugoslav Wars. It began as a grassroots initiative collecting emergency supplies and delivering them in private cars to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The organization is now Germany's largest youth-run aid organization, with decades of experience in (post-)conflict regions. It operates as a foundation (Stiftung) with offices in Neumünster, Berlin, Lübeck, Sarajevo, and Kyiv, and is a member of the Solidarity Action Day Movement in Europe (SAME). SHL's flagship activity is the Sozialer Tag (Social Day), held annually since 1998. On this day, around 60,000 students across Germany swap their classrooms for workplaces and donate their earnings to projects in Southeastern Europe, Jordan, and Ukraine. The organization also runs volunteer services (Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr), educational programs, school tours, and international youth exchanges. Its project focus areas include education, encounter, democracy, and engagement. Since its founding, SHL has supported reconstruction of over 70 schools and kindergartens in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and later Kosovo. It expanded its work to Jordan in 2013 in response to the Syrian civil war, and to Ukraine, Poland, and Moldova after the Russian invasion in 2022. The organization is funded primarily through donations, the Sozialer Tag, and its foundation capital. It is overseen by a board and supported by prominent patrons, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for the 2026 Sozialer Tag.

Schüler Helfen Leben (SHL) was founded in 1992 by students from Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate, in response to the Yugoslav Wars. The initiative began with the collection of toothbrushes, clothing, and medicines, and the transport of emergency supplies in private cars to Croatia. The name 'Schüler Helfen Leben' (Students Help Life) was born during this first convoy, which delivered 30 tons of relief supplies. The students wanted to see the goods reach their destination, so they accompanied the transports themselves. In 1994, SHL collected around 1.5 million Deutsche Mark nationwide, far exceeding expectations. These funds were used to rebuild numerous schools. In Mostar, together with the EU administration, SHL rebuilt a school with a financial outlay of over 2 million DM, making it one of the best-equipped schools in the region. After heavy weapons were withdrawn from central Sarajevo in February 1994, SHL repaired five large kindergartens in the capital. It also renovated the 'Nemanja Vlatković' school for the deaf and mute, which taught 50 students, and distributed 1,200 boxes of pens and notebooks, 400 boxes of sports equipment, 200 boxes of teacher supplies, and 400 boxes of art materials throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1996, 28 young people from Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina camped together on the Croatian Adriatic coast, marking the first holiday at the Adriatic for the Bosnian youths in four years and the first encounter with peers from the crisis region for most German youths. This was an early example of SHL's peace and reconciliation work. In 1998, the first Sozialer Tag (Social Day) took place in Schleswig-Holstein. Initially held every two years, it became an annual event in 2004 and nationwide in 2006. In 2002, SHL established Germany's first children's and youth foundation, the Stiftung Schüler Helfen Leben, to secure its projects long-term. A portion of the Sozialer Tag proceeds flows into the foundation's capital. The foundation also oversees foreign projects in Southeastern Europe and the volunteers working abroad for SHL. In 2005, SHL cooperated with the Sächsische Jugendstiftung for a Social Day in Saxony only, and in 2006 with Aktion Tagwerk. Since 2007, SHL has organized the Sozialer Tag independently. In 2013, in response to the Syrian civil war, SHL expanded its work to support Syrian refugees in Jordan and Syria. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the foundation became active in Ukraine, Poland, and Moldova. Over the decades, SHL has been involved in the reconstruction of more than 70 schools and kindergartens in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and later Kosovo. The organization has evolved from a grassroots relief initiative into a professional foundation with offices in Neumünster, Berlin, Lübeck, Sarajevo, and Kyiv. It is a member of the Solidarity Action Day Movement in Europe (SAME). The Sozialer Tag remains its flagship event, with around 60,000 students participating annually, raising approximately 1.1 million euros in 2022. The organization continues to focus on youth, peace, and reconciliation work, aiming to improve educational situations through various projects.

• 2026

  Sozialer Tag 2026 with patronage of Chancellor Friedrich Merz; 327 schools registered.

• 2022

  Expansion to Ukraine, Poland, and Moldova after Russian invasion; Sozialer Tag raises approximately 1.1 million euros with 60,000 participants.

• 2018

  Project selection meeting (Projektauswahltreffen) discontinued.

• 2013

  Expansion to Jordan to support Syrian refugees.

• 2007

  SHL organizes Sozialer Tag independently.

• 2006

  Sozialer Tag goes nationwide; cooperation with Aktion Tagwerk.

• 2005

  Cooperation with Sächsische Jugendstiftung for a Social Day in Saxony only.

• 2004

  Sozialer Tag becomes an annual event.

• 2002

  Establishment of Stiftung Schüler Helfen Leben, Germany's first children's and youth foundation.

• 1998

  First Sozialer Tag held in Schleswig-Holstein.

• 1996

  First joint youth camp for German and Bosnian youths on the Croatian Adriatic coast.

• 1994

  Nationwide collection of around 1.5 million Deutsche Mark; reconstruction of schools and kindergartens in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• 1992

  Founded by students from Bad Kreuznach; first convoy delivers 30 tons of relief supplies to Croatia.

Youth-led humanitarian and educational organization focusing on peace, democracy, and youth engagement in post-conflict regions.

• Sozialer Tag

  Annual nationwide action where students swap classrooms for workplaces and donate their wages.

• Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr (FSJ)

  Volunteer service in Germany or project regions in the Balkans.

• Schultouren

  School tours where youth give presentations about SHL projects.

• Camps

  Annual opportunity for interested youth to visit projects on site.

• Weekend seminars

  Seminars informing about SHL topics.

1. 1Schüler*innen Helfen Leben (SHL) - Official Websiteschueler-helfen-leben.de
2. 2Geschichte - Schüler*innen Helfen Leben (SHL)schueler-helfen-leben.de
3. 3Schüler Helfen Leben - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Schüler Helfen Leben - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org