German Foundation for World Population
DSW is an international private non-profit foundation addressing Sexual & Reproductive Health and population dynamics. DSW funds its project and advocacy work from private donations and the financial support of governments, foundations and other organisations. It has its headquarters in Hanover, Germany.
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History
DSW was founded in 1991 by German entrepreneurs Erhard Schreiber and Dirk Roßmann. DSW opened country offices in the 1990s in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to provide field-based services. The organisation's goal is to strengthen the human right to family planning, especially in East Africa, and to support young people in making self-determined decisions about their sexuality and contraception. In addition, DSW contributes to political decision-making processes in the areas of health, family planning and gender equality at national as well as international level. DSW's headquarters is in Hanover withliaison offices in Berlin and Brussels. DSW also has country offices in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. In 2018, DSW ended its direct operations in Uganda, and handed over its mandate to Action 4 Health Uganda, a local, independent organisation. A total of 167 employees currently work for DSW.Projects
DSW supports numerous projects in the four East African countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. These are implemented by DSW's country offices and partner organisation Action for Health Uganda. They work closely with a network of youth empowerment centres and youth clubs. Here, young people are trained as youth counsellors in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights, who then in turn pass on their knowledge to their peers. Information sessions are also held in communities - often in remote areas.DSW tries to provide youth-friendly access to modern contraceptives. Special clinics have therefore been set up in Ethiopia to give young people direct access to modern contraceptives and health care. In addition, DSW-trained "flying nurses" provide family planning services directly to households in their communities. DSW also provides counselling for mothers living with HIV and offers assistance to underage workers on large industrialised farms.
In addition to sexuality education and health care, the young people are supported in earning their own income through education and training, to become financially independent and to be able to live self-determined lives. Through the training of youth champions, DSW also supports young people in gaining a voice in society and politics.
DSW also works intensively on behalf of young people in various multisectoral cooperation projects, for example with Hanns R. Neumann Foundation, Siemens Foundation, Kühne Foundation and Herz Foundation. DSW's projects and programmes are funded by the EU, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, UNFPA, the Lower Saxony Bingo Environmental Foundation, and US foundations, among others, as well as numerous private donors.