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Shelter Now - Serving the People of Afghanistan and Pakistan

Udo Stolte, Director of Shelter Now Germany, with children in a refugee camp

In the early 1980s, a humanitarian disaster was looming in Central Asia. Years of unrest and civil war in Afghanistan followed by the Soviet invasion prompted more than 3 million people to flee to Pakistan, where they were left to vegetate in huge refugee camps. Images of the camps were broadcast around the world. A small group of Christians in Germany and other countries were so moved by what they saw that they decided to set up an aid organization for the refugees which they called Shelter Now.

The name "Shelter" refers to our philosophy: the Christian teaching of loving one's neighbor includes going to the poorest of the poor, giving them food and drink and a roof over their heads. Shelter Now has been involved in humanitarian aid in Afghanistan and Pakistan for nearly 25 years. Our work has ranged from emergency aid for war refugees or earthquake victims in Pakistan to reconstruction in Afghanistan and long-term development projects.

Conducting development aid in the Islamic world is particularly challenging for a Christian humanitarian aid organization. However, with many years of experience, familiarity with the local culture and a deep love for the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan, we have developed the necessary sensitivity to carry out the work that we do.

Handing out food to the needy

Shelter Now is an international organization with its central coordinating office in Braunschweig, Germany - also the headquarters of "Shelter Now Germany". Shelter Now is represented in the Netherlands, Britain, the US, South Africa as well as Australia. "Shelter Now Germany" is a registered charity.

Udo Stolte, the Director, is based in Braunschweig. He is married, has 4 children and has been involved in the work of Shelter since the beginning, later giving up his job as a teacher to enter the work full-time. He has made repeated trips to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Georg Taubmann, from southern Germany, oversees the work of SNI as the International Director. He is married to Marianne and has 2 children. He originally trained as a nurse. He lived with his family for 16 years in Pakistan and 8 years in Afghanistan.

YoungHo Song is responsible for the work in Pakistan. He's from South Korea, married to BinNa and has 3 children.

John Weaver from USA is the Country Director in Afghanistan. He lives in this country since 9 years, is married to Jeanne and has 2 children.

Some 50 international staff are involved in Shelter Now projects in both countries along with several hundred Afghan and Pakistani employees.

Shelter Now finances its aid projects primarily through private donations which can be offset by tax deductions in Germany, the United States and the Netherlands. In addition, we occassionally receive public funding for specific projects from sources like the United Nations or from the German Government.