Swiss Church Aid

HEKS champions the cause of a more humane and just world and a life in dignity. Internationally, HEKS/EPER focuses on rural community development, humanitarian aid and church cooperation. In Switzerland, HEKS/EPER champions the rights and the integration of refugees and socially disadvantaged people.

HEKS was founded in 1946 by the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches (FSPC). As the aid organization of the Swiss Protestant Churches, the dignity of every human being is central to the commitment of HEKS/EPER, in accordance with gospel of Christian love. This respect for human dignity also finds expression in the universal human rights. All human beings should be able to lead a life in dignity and in social, economic and political security.

Internationally, HEKS/EPER focuses on rural community development, humanitarian aid and inter-church cooperation: HEKS/EPER combats the causes of hunger, poverty and injustice through its focus on access to land, it provides emergency aid following natural disasters and armed conflicts and supports the welfare and social work of the Reformed Churches in Eastern Europe. HEKS/EPER is active in 32 countries with 251 projects around the world. HEKS/EPER runs its own Coordination Offices in 17 primary-focus regions.

In Switzerland, HEKS/EPER advocates for the social inclusion of recognized refugees, temporarily admitted persons and the socially disadvantaged, in a spirit of equal opportunity. HEKS/EPER also assists asylum seekers and other target groups by providing them with legal advice. The five regional offices in Aargau/Solothurn, the two Basels, Berne, Eastern Switzerland and Zurich/Schaffhausen as well as the Secrétariat romand in Lausanne are carrying out 58 programmes altogether.