The programmatic change of a German child rights organisation (NGO) with a special focus on the Self-Help-Group-Approach

After World War II quite a number of Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) or church related organizations like Kindernothilfe or Bread for the World came into being in Germany. Similar to World Vision and other child-focused organizations Kindernothilfe in the beginning put a strong focus on the wellbeing of individuals rather than the community situation. How this focus has changed during the last decades and finally led to the development of a specific approach working with women groups will be briefly outlined and explained in the lunchtime seminar presentation.

Karl Pfahler studied Agriculture at the Technical University München-Weihenstephan. Afterwards he worked at the Institute for Farm Machinery for five years as a scientific assistant and did his doctorate. Besides several assignments on different farms in Germany and Canada he served three years in Ethiopia as an agricultural advisor, teacher and farm manager. 1991 he joined the NGO Kindernothilfe in Duisburg and for more than 20 years was responsible for all programmes in 13 countries in Africa. During this time he significantly contributed to the programmatic change and progress of the organization as well as to the development of a community based approach enabling the poorest of the poor to better care for their children in a holistic manner (self help group approach).

Le «Bouillon d'idées» est un séminaire proposé par le groupe de recherche «Développement, Sociétés, Environnements», dans lequel les chercheuses et les chercheurs sont invité·e·s à présenter une recherche en cours.