Dansk Folkehjælp (DKFH, Denmark)
The Danish People’s Aid was founded on 31 July 1907 under the name “Arbejdernes Samariter Forening” (Samaritan organisation of workers).
The establishment of the association was caused by an industrial accident involving injured workers at a building site in Copenhagen. Incapable of helping their wounded colleagues the other workers could do nothing but watch the scene. After this tragic incident, Frederik M. Nielsen, a house painter, took the initiative to establish the association, whose aim was to offer first-aid courses and train Samaritans.
In 1962, the name of the organisation was changed to ASF-Dansk Folkehjælp and later in 2010 into Dansk Folkehjælp (Danish People’s Aid).
Today Danish People’s Aid is formed nationwide by 50 branches in Denmark. The activities of the organisation are mainly based on voluntary work carried out by its 3.000 individual members and a large number of trade unions, collectively representing 1 million members.
Social work
Danish People’s Aid are doing what we can to help the thousands of poor families with children living in Denmark. We help one another by offering family holidays and we hand out Christmas aid, which consists of gifts for children and food. Senior citizens, disabled and lonely people also enjoy our social work. We have successfully been established networking groups for older people who are helping to increase the quality of life of the individual.
First aid work
Danish People’s Aid puts many efforts in first aid training. We account for a large part of the first aid training taking place across the country. We teach schools, businesses and individuals in lifesaving first aid. As a new initiative this year, is it new also possible to receive training in psychological first aid.
Danish People’s Aid also has a large first-aid corps that helps at national events. In 2013 we will have an Emergency Response Team. The Team will be able to move out at a short notice, to disaster areas around the world.
International work
Danish People’s Aid operates worldwide as well, and to secure both nationwide and worldwide cooperation for humanitarian work, Danish People’s Aid is a partner in a number of different organisation networks like e.g. DACAAR (Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees), a development non-governmental organisation established in 1984, which works towards sustainable livelihoods in rural Afghanistan including the lasting return of refugees and internally displaced people and represent DAARTT (Danish Assistance to Afghan Reconstruction and Technical Training) – established in 2003.
Ongoing projects:
The first aid area
Beltsamariter – http://www.beltsamariter.de (in German)
The international area
Support to the education sector and rural development in Afghanistan http://www.folkehjaelp.dk/english/our-work-abroad/school-construction-and-development/ (is in English)
Clean water and sanitary conditions for Tanzania (is in English)
http://www.folkehjaelp.dk/english/our-work-abroad/clean-water-and-sanitary-measures-for-tanzania/
Fighting Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Puntland, Somalia (is in English)
http://www.folkehjaelp.dk/english/our-work-abroad/fighting-female-genital-mutilationcutting-in-puntland-somalia/
The social area
Seniornet – A project to create networks and friendships among the lonely elderly (is in Danish)
http://www.folkehjaelp.dk/det-goer-vi/frivilligt-socialt-arbejde/seniornet/
Feriehjælp – socially disadvantaged and vulnerable children aged 6 to 14 years and their families on a summer, winter and autumn holidays (is in Danish)
Christmas Aid – Poor families in Denmark, get Christmas help in the forms of gifts and food (is in Danish)
http://www.folkehjaelp.dk/det-goer-vi/frivilligt-socialt-arbejde/julehjaelp/