DESWOS German Development Assistance Association for Social Housing e.V.

DESWOS — formally Deutsche Entwicklungszusammenarbeit für soziales Wohnungs- und Siedlungswesen e.V. — is a Cologne-based, non-profit, non-governmental development organisation that has worked for more than 50 years on social housing and settlement issues in the Global South. It was founded in 1969 by non-profit housing companies and their associations, which gave it a statutory mandate to help eliminate housing poverty among the poorest sections of the population in developing countries on the basis of self-help. The organisation is denominationally and politically independent and is registered as a voluntary association (eingetragener Verein) at the Cologne district court under VR 6346. DESWOS describes its mission as "creating a home – worldwide". Its work focuses on integrated projects in which housing is combined with income generation through job creation, training in in-demand occupations, improvements in hygiene and health care, and social facilities. It also networks its local partners so that technical and social know-how gained through experience can be shared. Alongside project work, DESWOS engages critically with current development policy through membership in the Association of German Development NGOs (VENRO) and the Habitat International Coalition (HIC), and it holds the donation seal of the German Central Institute for Social Issues (DZI). DESWOS is financed largely by its membership base. According to its 2024 annual report it had 598 corporate members, mostly from the housing industry and its suppliers and service providers, plus 269 individual members. Corporate membership carries a minimum contribution of 800 euros and private membership 80 euros; the board decides on admissions. Members' contributions fund the work of the DESWOS office and enable it to finance and supervise projects in partner countries, supplemented by donations raised directly or mobilised from third parties. The organisation is one of the largest development organisations in Germany by membership. Governance is voluntary: the chair of the board is Petra Eggert-Höfel, and the chair of the advisory board is Axel Gedaschko, president of the GdW Federal Association of German Housing and Real Estate Companies. DESWOS is supported by housing companies and their audit and interest associations organised within the GdW. Its projects have included health stations, dental practices and school buildings, and it has responded to disasters such as flooding in Nepal and an earthquake in Colombia.

DESWOS was founded in 1969 by non-profit housing companies and their associations in Germany. Its statutory mandate was to contribute to eliminating housing poverty among the poorest sections of the population in the countries of the Global South, working on the principle of help for self-help. From the outset it was conceived as a membership organisation of the housing sector rather than a general-purpose charity, and it remains denominationally and politically independent. Over more than five decades the organisation has implemented projects with local non-profit civil-society organisations in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Its approach evolved into so-called integrated projects, in which housing is treated as one element alongside job creation and income generation, training in occupations in demand, improvements to hygiene and health care, and social facilities. DESWOS also began networking its partners to spread the technical and social know-how gained through experience. Alongside project work, DESWOS became active in development-policy advocacy. It works with other organisations within the Association of German Development NGOs (VENRO) and the Habitat International Coalition (HIC), critically examining the nature of contemporary development policy and seeking to influence government bodies. It holds the donation seal of the German Central Institute for Social Issues (DZI) in Berlin. The organisation is funded primarily by its members. It is supported by housing companies and their audit and interest associations organised in the GdW Bundesverband deutscher Wohnungs- und Immobilienunternehmen, and it is one of the largest development organisations in Germany by membership. According to its 2024 annual report, DESWOS had 598 corporate members, largely from the housing industry and its suppliers and service providers, and 269 individual members, most of them connected to the housing sector. Corporate membership carries a minimum contribution of 800 euros and private membership 80 euros, with the board deciding on admissions. Members' contributions finance the work of the DESWOS office and, together with donations raised directly or mobilised from third parties, enable it to finance and supervise projects in partner countries. Governance is honorary. The chair of the board is Petra Eggert-Höfel, and the chair of the advisory board is Axel Gedaschko, president of the GdW. The organisation is registered as a voluntary association at the Cologne district court under VR 6346 and is headquartered at Grüner Weg 10, 50825 Cologne. Its work has included health stations, dental practices and school buildings in partner countries, and it has responded to disasters such as flooding in Nepal and an earthquake in Colombia.

• 2024

  Annual report records 598 corporate members and 269 individual members.

• 1969

  DESWOS is founded by non-profit housing companies and their associations in Germany.

A membership-funded, politically and denominationally independent German development NGO specialising in social housing and settlement work in the Global South, operating on the principle of help for self-help.

• Integrated social housing projects

  Projects combining housing with job creation, vocational training, hygiene and health improvements, and social facilities.

• Self-help housing construction

  Support for needy people to build a home and secure their livelihood, based on the principle of help for self-help.

• Health and social infrastructure

  Health stations, dental practices, school buildings and similar facilities in partner countries.

1. 1DESWOS e.V. - Wir schaffen ein Zuhause – weltweitdeswos.de
2. 2Impressum - Wir schaffen ein Zuhause – weltweitdeswos.de
3. 3DESWOS German Development Assistance Association for Social Housing e.V. (Wikidata)wikidata.org
4. 4Deutsche Entwicklungshilfe für soziales Wohnungs- und Siedlungswesen (Wikipedia)de.wikipedia.org