Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, commonly known as Helvetas, is a Swiss non-governmental organization (NGO) engaged in international development cooperation and humanitarian response. Founded on 18 June 1955 and headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, it operates as an association under Swiss law.
The organization was established as the Swiss Association for Technical Assistance (German: Schweizerisches Hilfswerk für aussereuropäische Gebiete, SHAG). It adopted the name Helvetas in 1965 and merged with the Swiss development organization Intercooperation in 2011, after which it adopted its current legal name.
As of 2026, Helvetas implements approximately 300 development and humanitarian programmes in 35 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Its activities include water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), agriculture, climate adaptation, education, vocational skills development, governance, economic development and humanitarian assistance. The organization employs approximately 1,800 staff, the majority of whom are based in programme countries.
Helvetas is financed through a combination of private donations, membership contributions, institutional grants and public-sector contracts. In 2025, it reported operating income of approximately CHF 175 million. Its programmes are referenced in reports by organizations including the World Bank, the OECD, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Reuters, Swissinfo and in peer-reviewed academic publications.
History Helvetas was founded on 18 June 1955 in Zürich under the name Swiss Association for Technical Assistance (German: Schweizerisches Hilfswerk für aussereuropäische Gebiete, SHAG). The organization was established by a group of Swiss citizens who sought to support economic and social development in countries outside Europe through technical cooperation and long-term partnerships.
Among the key figures behind the organization's creation were Swiss humanitarian Rodolfo Olgiati, who advocated for extending Swiss solidarity beyond post-war Europe, and social worker Regina Kägi-Fuchsmann, both of whom played important roles in shaping its early vision.
In 1965, the organization adopted the name Helvetas, reflecting its growing international engagement. Over the following decades, it expanded its activities from technical assistance to broader development cooperation, including programmes in rural development, water and sanitation, education, governance, climate resilience and economic development.
In 2011, Helvetas merged with the Swiss development organization Intercooperation, which had been founded in 1982. Following the merger, the organization adopted the name Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, combining the experience and expertise of both organizations while continuing to operate under the Helvetas brand.
Governance and leadership Helvetas is an association established under Swiss law. Its highest governing body is the General Assembly, in which all members have voting rights. The General Assembly elects the President and the Board of Directors, which is responsible for the organization's strategic direction, oversight and governance. The Board of Directors appoints the Management Board, which is responsible for the operational management of the organization and the implementation of its strategy.
The Management Board is headed by the Executive Director, who is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of Helvetas and the implementation of programmes worldwide. Since 2005, the Executive Director has been Melchior Lengsfeld. The Management Board also includes directors responsible for international programmes, finance and controlling, people and culture, marketing and communications, and advisory services.
As of 2026, the President of the Board of Directors is Regula Rytz, who has served in the role since 2021. The Board comprises members from fields including international development, business, science, public administration and civil society, providing strategic guidance and oversight for the organization.
Helvetas also maintains an Advisory Board composed of experts from a range of professional disciplines who provide independent advice on strategic and thematic issues. The organization's governance framework, bylaws, annual reports and strategic plans are publicly available through its official publications.
Activities Helvetas implements development cooperation and humanitarian response programmes in low- and middle-income countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. It works primarily through partnerships with local governments, civil society organizations, community groups, academic institutions and private-sector actors. Most of the organization's staff are employed in the countries where programmes are implemented, with technical and strategic support provided by regional specialists and headquarters in Switzerland.
The organization's activities are grouped into several thematic areas:
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH): Improving access to safe drinking water, sanitation facilities and hygiene services through infrastructure development, community management and institutional strengthening.
Climate, environment and agriculture: Supporting climate change adaptation, sustainable agriculture, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation and food security.
Education and vocational skills development: Strengthening education systems, vocational training and employment opportunities, particularly for young people and women.
Economic development: Supporting entrepreneurship, small and medium-sized enterprises, agricultural value chains, financial inclusion and market systems to improve livelihoods and local economic development.
Governance, inclusion and peace: Promoting democratic governance, public accountability, civic participation, gender equality, social inclusion and conflict prevention.
Humanitarian response: Providing emergency assistance during armed conflicts, natural disasters and other humanitarian crises while supporting recovery and longer-term community resilience.
Programmes are adapted to local priorities and typically combine technical assistance, institutional capacity development and policy support. According to its 2025 Annual Report, Helvetas supported almost seven million people through its development cooperation and humanitarian programmes during the year.
Countries of operation As of 2026, Helvetas maintains comprehensive country programmes in 35 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern and Southeast Europe. These programmes typically comprise multiple projects addressing development cooperation and, where required, humanitarian response.
Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Tanzania Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam Eastern and Southeast Europe: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine Latin America: Bolivia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Peru
In addition to these long-term country programmes, Helvetas also undertakes regional initiatives and time-limited projects in other countries, depending on development priorities, humanitarian needs and donor mandates.
Memberships Helvetas is a member of several national and international organizations active in international development and humanitarian cooperation. It is a member of Alliance2015, a network of European development organizations, and one of the supporting organizations of Alliance Sud, the joint development policy platform of major Swiss development organizations.
Helvetas is also a member of Klima-Allianz Schweiz, a Swiss network of organizations working on climate policy and sustainable development.
Approach Helvetas implements development programmes primarily through partnerships with local governments, civil society organizations, community groups and private-sector actors rather than through direct long-term service delivery. Its activities typically combine technical assistance, institutional capacity building, policy support and market systems development, depending on local priorities and donor objectives.
Across its programmes, Helvetas integrates themes such as gender equality, social inclusion, environmental sustainability and climate resilience. In humanitarian settings, the organization combines emergency assistance with longer-term recovery and resilience-building initiatives where appropriate.
Monitoring and evaluation Helvetas monitors and evaluates its development cooperation and humanitarian programmes through monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) systems and commissions independent evaluations for selected donor-funded projects.
The organization publishes annual reports, audited financial statements and strategic documents that provide information on its governance, programme activities and financial performance. It also maintains policies on safeguarding, ethical conduct, anti-corruption and whistleblowing as part of its organizational accountability framework.
Funding Helvetas finances its activities through a combination of private donations, membership contributions, grants and project contracts. Its income is derived from individual donors, charitable foundations, corporations, multilateral organizations and public-sector development agencies, which support both long-term programmes and project-specific activities.
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), part of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, is Helvetas' largest institutional partner. In addition to providing programme contributions, the SDC awards Helvetas mandates to implement development and humanitarian projects through competitive procurement processes.
Helvetas also receives funding from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), other national development agencies, the European Union, United Nations organizations and international financial institutions, as well as from private foundations and philanthropic organizations.
The organization publishes annual reports and audited financial statements detailing its income, expenditure, governance and programme activities. These reports are publicly available on the organization's website and are prepared in accordance with Swiss financial reporting requirements.
As of 2025, Helvetas reported annual income of approximately CHF 175 million, derived from private donations, institutional grants, public-sector development agencies and project contracts.
As of 2025, Helvetas employed approximately 1,800 staff and implemented around 300 programmes in 35 countries.
Relationship with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Helvetas has been a long-standing implementing partner of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the international cooperation agency of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. Through competitive mandates, programme contributions and strategic partnerships, Helvetas supports the implementation of Swiss international cooperation objectives in areas including water and sanitation, climate adaptation, sustainable agriculture, governance, economic development, vocational skills development and humanitarian response.
SDC country and regional cooperation programmes identify Helvetas as an implementing partner in a number of countries and regions, including Nepal, the Mekong region (Cambodia and Laos), Central Asia, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Haiti, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Tunisia. These programmes focus on areas such as democratic governance, climate resilience, sustainable water management, disaster risk reduction, economic development and support for vulnerable communities.