Elis Tarelli

New Executive Management at Vision Hope International

For 20 years Vision Hope has been working with people in the Middle East in emergency relief and development projects – because “empowered people transform the world!”

As a board, we are pleased that with a competent leadership, we are well positioned for growth in the coming years to further expand the impact and scope of our work.
Stephan Krämer and Matthias Leibbrand take over the management from Dr. Elis Tarelli, who has guided Vision Hope through a transition process in recent years with his legal expertise, creating solid foundations on which Stephan Krämer and Matthias Leibbrand can now build. Elis Tarelli has had a strong impact on Vision Hope’s work and I know from my conversations with staff at our country office in Sana’a, Yemen, how respected and supported they felt by Elis. He was also instrumental in drafting Vision Hope’s new bylaws.
We thank Elis Tarelli from the bottom of our hearts and wish him and his family all the best for the future!

Stephan Krämer, a civil engineer, has 20 years of experience in development cooperation and emergency aid, including seven years in the management of an aid organization. He already wrote his diploma thesis with Vision Hope about cisterns in Yemen and implemented projects with Vision Hope in Yemen from 2005 to 2010, mainly in the water and agriculture sector. Since August 2021, he has been building up the capital office of Vision Hope in Berlin and will now continue his commitment from there as Managing Director.
Matthias Leibbrand has been involved in development, cooperation and emergency aid for over 25 years. The forester’s experience includes not only projects of aid organizations, but also work as a consultant in bilateral development projects and large multilateral reconstruction funds. He is one of the founders of Vision Hope and has been instrumental in shaping the organization and its projects. He will now continue to do so as Executive Director, International Programs.

We are looking forward to working with Stephan Krämer and Matthias Leibbrand!

signature MR

Marcus Rose

Chairman of the Board

 

Empowered by the sun: Solar energy for Yemen

How solar energy changed the life of a family

The family of Abu and Umm Hamudi lives in the village of Ain al-Jabal.* The father, Abu Hamudi works from early in the morning until late in the fields surrounding the small village in the mountains. His wife, Umm Hamudi, takes care of the children and the household. Since the village does not have its own water source, Umm Hamudi has to go every day to draw water from the cistern outside the village. It is a two-kilometer walk to get there. Drawing water is exhausting, the canisters are heavy. Afterwards, she has to walk the distance back with the family’s scrawny donkey, which carries the full and heavy canisters. Umm carries some of the water herself. She can’t remember a day when she didn’t have back pain. The two older children have to help her fetch water; she can leave the little ones with their grandmother. The family fetches the water early in the morning, when it is not yet so hot. Sometimes they are busy for two hours – depending on whether many others from the village are already in line ahead of them and depending on how quickly the water flows in. As a result, the children are often late for school, which is located in the neighboring village a few kilometers to the south.

That changed when Vision Hope International worked with a local partner organization to install a solar pump in Ain Al-Gabal. Solar power now pumps water from the ground directly to the village. The water source, so vital, is now just a few steps away from Umm and Abu Hamudi’s hut, and drawing water is less strenuous because it doesn’t have to be hauled up from a deep hole. Since the solar pump has been there, the back pain has also decreased. Umm Hamudi is also no longer dependent on the help of the children, who can now get to class on time in the morning. And also Umm Hamudi and her husband receive lessons: In addition to the installation of the solar pump, Vision Hope gives trainings on how to improve irrigation in agriculture and how to use water hygienically, so that an optimal use of the system is guaranteed. The lives of the inhabitants of Ain Al-Jabal are thus sustainably improved.

Solar pumps and solar panels are making a life-changing difference for families like Umm and Abu Hamudi’s, bringing #lightforlife!

Solar energy is sustainable and environmentally friendly, providing independence and profoundly improving lives! That’s why we invest in solar energy in over 70% of our projects as part of the major reconstruction project! Over 20,000 people like Umm and Abu Hamudi benefit from the water solar projects!

If you want to support these projects, we appreciate your donation for #LightforLife!

 

*names changed

4000€ for #lifesigns for Yemen: Our charity run was a success!

Berlin, October 2022

Our 18 runners ran 313 incredible laps and were able to raise over 4000€ – thanks to their generous sponsors!

The run was a great event overall: the weather stayed good, the runners (the youngest were 4 years old) were motivated and many exceeded their own expectations in laps! After the strenuous run, everyone was able to recharge their energy reserves with coffee, homemade cakes, and gummy bears. At this point once again a huge

Thank you to all the runners, sponsors, and helpers!

Without you, our #lebenslauf-charity run would not have been possible! Together we can now set #lifesigns for Yemen and invest in rebuilding the country together with the local people!

With the money raised, we will be able to:

Provide 80 children with a place at school
Help 40 families to become self-sufficient through independent agriculture
Build a well in 8 villages and thus ensure access to drinking water.

Thank you for your commitment!

start lebenslauf oct 22

 

 

Our Chairman Marcus Rose about crisis and chances in Yemen

Our chairman Marcus Rose was in Yemen last year. He saw the destruction of war, but also the passion of Yemeni employees. Here’s what he has to say about the current situation in Yemen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfFaZxLO7uw (English version will follow soon)

“We started a big new project even before the ceasefire: We call it “the rebuilding program”… We want to see children going back to school, families being able to support themselves, it’s possible for local people to enjoy their lives independently! We are quite a bit ahead!

At this time, we need significant support to reach the first phase of the project! Therefore: Please just support us! We need money to support the local people! To do the work on the ground that we have planned. Thank you very much!”

Our project in 8 districts focuses on the rebuilding of schools, supporting agricultural self-sufficiency for families, and providing access to clean water for entire villages. It is being implemented with 90% funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with VHI having to raise the remaining 10%. Every donated Euro has thereby 10-fold effect!

Thank you to all donors who have already made a #lifesign! We have already received several thousand euros. To reach our campaign donation goal of 100,000€, we still need your support!

Join us today in making a #life sign for children, families and entire communities in war-torn Yemen!Help us make many #life signs by sharing our campaign with your friends!

School places as a chance

Amal* can go back to school

Amal is 9 years old. She lives with her mother and 3 siblings with her uncle. Her father died in the war. Because of the war (Amal cannot remember a life without war) many schools were destroyed. Also the one in Amal’s village. But she would love to go to school! She would like to learn to be able to work later as a nurse or doctor and help people in need.

By building a school where Amal can go to, Vision Hope, together with local partners, has set an important sign against hopelessness! Amal can now learn with her friends all the important things she needs to fulfill her dream of working in the hospital later on.

A good education is very important to break out of the cycle of poverty and lack of opportunities. Especially as a girl! Without education, children cannot learn a profession that will allow them to be independent and provide for themselves and their families. In Yemen there are many children like Amal. They have no possibility to visit a school and thus have hardly any future chances. No education means poverty, hunger and dependence. For Amal, a place at school does not mean tedious homework, but the chance of a lifetime. Many schools in Yemen are destroyed, dilapidated and in some areas there has never been a school.

Vision Hope International therefore puts a special focus on the reconstruction of schools. In the next 3 years, VHI plans to rebuild several schools in Yemen. So that children like Amal can go back to school!

You too can set a #LifeSign, so that children like Amal can break out of the cycle of poverty and inequality of opportunity by
supporting the construction of schools!

50 € enables a school place for a child in Yemen.

I would like to donate to rebuild a school!

* Name changed.

You can also support our project through our project page on betterplace.org.

Help for self-help

Helping Basma’s* family to help themselves in times of need

Basma’s family makes a living from farming. The family lives in a beautiful village and farming has deepened their love for the land. It used to feed the family, but during the war, the yield is no longer sufficient. Until now, Basma’s family has grown wheat. Due to the consequences of the conflict, price increases and fighting, many families like Basma’s have stopped growing produce. In addition to the high prices, they do not have the experience to expand their farming to make it more profitable.

They also had to sell some of their goats because there was not enough grass during the dry summer. The situation of the whole family seemed hopeless. But Basma never gave up hope, despite all the difficulties. Basma dreams of being able to feed his family again from the yield of his own fields. The land where the family lives is actually good land, as there are underground water sources.

Vision Hope unterstützt Bauern wie Basma mit dem Bau Bewässerungsanlagen, mit Saatgut, Werkzeugen und durch Schulungen. Durch eine Erweiterung der Anbauarten kann mehr geerntet werden: Neben Weizen gibt es jetzt auch Mais, Tomaten, Zwiebeln, Okra und vieles mehr. Für Bassam geht dadurch ein Traum in Erfüllung, er hat viele Jahre darauf gewartet. Die Bedrohung der Familienexistenz konnte abgewendet werden, Basma ist glücklich. Von der ersten Ernte kann sie nicht nur ihre Familie ernähren, sondern die Produkte auch auf dem Markt verkaufen.

Vision Hope supports farmers like Basma by building irrigation systems, providing seeds, tools and through training. By expanding the types of crops, more can be harvested: In addition to wheat, there is now corn, tomatoes, onions, okra and much more. For Bassam, this is a dream come true; she has waited many years for this. The threat to the family’s existence has been averted, and Basma is happy. Not only can she feed her family from the first harvest, but she can also sell the produce at the market.

Vision Hope International is therefore putting a special focus on agricultural projects in the next 3 years.

You too can set a #LifeSign and help families like Basma’s to break out of the cycle of hunger and hopelessness
by supporting agricultural projects.

100 € makes it possible to support a family in agricultural self-sufficiency.

Ich would like to donate to help families help themselves!

* Name changed.

You can also support our project through our project page on betterplace.org.