Aid agency changes lives

Waiting and hoping for it to rain, hoping that the rain will be enough to cultivate the barren fields but not so heavy that it destroys the crops; going hungry and not being able to send the children to school because there is no money… This is what life was like for 38-year-old Imani before she became one of almost seven thousand people taking part in an irrigation project in Kenya.

With around 114,000 euros, the New Apostolic aid agency NAK-karitativ funded the construction of ten wells and a total of fifteen gardens with drip irrigation systems in 2022. To ensure that the project remains sustainable, local people were trained in vegetable growing and organic farming, trees were planted, and compost toilets were built to improve the hygiene situation, prevent diseases, and create organic farmland. The project has achieved several objectives. The beneficiaries, like Imani’s family, no longer have to go hungry and can even earn a little extra money, which will help them break the cycle of poverty. Now they have clean water and toilet facilities. Measures have also been taken to combat climate change.

Where the money goes

These are the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations that NAK-karitativ aims to achieve. To this end, the aid organisation is involved in projects and grants to institutions in countries on different continents.

In 2022, there were 16 countries, nine of them in Africa. Around 57 per cent of the grants were allocated to projects such as the one described in Kenya. Ten per cent of the donations went to projects in West Asia. For example, NAK-karitativ helped 202 families in Armenia to set up micro-enterprises with around 137,000 euros, giving them new prospects and a livelihood. Also in 2022, NAK-karitativ continued to provide disaster relief in South-East Asia to the tune of almost 55,000 euros. The people affected by Typhoon Odette in 2021 received food, building materials, and tools to rebuild their homes and received help to restore their livelihoods.

Helping people at home

A particularly large proportion of grants went to Europe in the reporting year. With over 377,000 euros, NAK-karitativ supported people affected by the war in Ukraine. Above all, however, NAK-karitativ provided about 442,000 euros in emergency funds in 2022 for reconstruction following severe storms in Germany.

Of the more than three million euros spent by the aid agency in 2022, around 534,000 euros went towards administrative costs in the reporting year, such as the seven full-time employees, public relations work, and office space.

Where the money comes from

There was wide media coverage of the floods in Germany and also of the war in Ukraine so that many people in Germany donated. Of the approximately 3.4 million euros in individual donations received in the year under review, around 40 per cent were pledged for a specified purpose. Thanks to approval from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the funding commitments from the public sector were particularly high in 2022 at around 242,000 euros. Bequests to NAK-karitativ were also 37 per cent higher than the year before. On the other hand, regular donations for sponsorships were slightly lower at around 292,000 euros, while regular donations for long-term campaigns were slightly higher than in the previous year at around 216,000 euros.

“We are very pleased that you have once again shown great commitment and devoted a great deal of time to support our charitable projects,” the aid agency writes, referring to the numerous donations made to NAK-karitativ by New Apostolic congregations. “We were particularly touched by the many activities and initiatives of the congregations.” For example, a youth group raised money with a cake campaign, money was raised during a district-wide hike, and donations were also collected for NAK-karitativ at benefit and Christmas concerts. This raised around 56,000 euros.

Challenges and opportunities

Since many supporters open their hearts and wallets after high-profile disasters, there is a risk that other crises will be neglected. NAK-karitativ can only make flexible use of non-restricted donations, which means that sustainable work may have to be put on the backburner, the aid agency says. “Our strength lies in sustainable development cooperation and the resulting sustainable food security as well as sustainable health and education support,” the aid agency writes.

As an active member of the Association for Development Policy and Humanitarian Aid, NAK-karitativ has good contacts with other aid organisations. Collaboration with partner organisations, including some New Apostolic aid organisations, also makes fast and effective aid possible. NAK-karitativ’s financial situation is secured in the long term through active public relations work.

Investing into the future

This means that other projects can be implemented or continued. For example, the aid agency is concentrating more on reconstruction as part of its aid to victims of natural disasters in Germany. “Our priority is to work towards sustainable solutions,” NAK-karitativ says in its annual report. In the coming years, the focus will also be on gender equality and a female approach to development cooperation.

To achieve this, the Patron Dr Wilhelm Leber and Managing Director Tatjana Augustin continue to count on the many donors, whom they thank in the foreword: “Thank you very much for your support and the esteem shown for our work.”