''Sozialwerke Pfarrer Sieber'' (SWS) is a Swiss charitable foundation and relief organisation based the

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

of Zürich. Initiated in 1963 by Ernst Sieber, a pastor associated with the Reformierte Kirche des Kantons Zürich, the relief organisation was founded in 1988. SWS supports ''disadvantaged people, to help to alleviate the hardships around addiction, disease, violence and homelessness''.

History and orientation

In winter 1963, the first homeless community in a bunker in Zürich-Aussersihl was founded by Ernst Sieber, and in fact the charity started its first project that was follow by numerous initiatives over the decades, among them ''Sune-Dörfli'', ''Sune-Egge'', ''Ur-Dörfli'', ''Sune-Stube'', ''Pfuusbus'', and ''Brothausen'' in Zürich-Affoltern for homeless people, or

food supplement A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement one's diet by taking a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients either extracted from food sources or that are synthetic in order ...

for poor people. In 1988 the foundation was formally established. The foundation claims to support, ''committed on the basis of the Gospel for needy fellow man...to help to alleviate the hardships around addiction, disease, violence and homelessness.'' Hence, to update the biblical message in view of social distress and the distress of individuals who are mentally and physically suffering, socially injured, homeless and refuged, drug addicted, and to inflict upon pastoral, social, medical and material assistance. SWS claims to cooperate with individuals, private, civil and ecclesiastical authorities, to ensure partnership and mutually complementary aid.

Sieber-Huus

In Zürich-Affoltern, Sieber's foundation plans to combine some of the present Sieber institutions in a large complex in the so-called ''Sieber-Huus''. The Reformed church of the canton of Zürich intends to be the building's owner. Sieber's foundation plans to contribute eleven million Swiss Francs to the interior design; the project amounts to 35 million Swiss Francs. From autumn 2021, the new building will house the ''Sune-Egge'', the ''Sunegarte'', the present settlement ''Brothuuse'' and the administration of the foundation. The ''Sune-Egge'' is a hospital for addicts, the ''Sunegarte'' is the corresponding nursing home. ''Brothuuse'' offers accommodation and care. As of 2017, the foundation comprises 13 facilities and services and employs 170 staff and around 100 volunteers.

Pfuusbus

''Pfuusbus'', in fact a semitrailer truck, is one of the best known projects of the foundation. The bus for the

homeless people Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

in the greater Zürich area recorded 3,873 nights' stay, 700 more than last winter, between November 2015 and March 2016. The emergency shelter has been used by 278 people during the five winter months 2015/16. Over 150 nights, two caretakers have looked after the accommodation for the homeless people, assisted by two additional volunteers who have prepared more than 1,400 evening meals. In a separate tent, called ''Iglu'' (igloo), 206 homeless

migrant worker A migrant worker is a person who migrates within a home country or outside it to pursue work. Migrant workers usually do not have the intention to stay permanently in the country or region in which they work. Migrant workers who work outsi ...

s were housed in Zürich-Seebach; they spent a total of 1,466 nights. Around two thirds of the migrant workers were from Romania who are employed mainly in Swiss agriculture in summer and autumn. The

European migrant crisis The 2015 European migrant crisis, also known internationally as the Syrian refugee crisis, was a period of significantly increased movement of refugees and migrants into Europe in 2015, when 1.3 million people came to the continent to reques ...

, as the foundation communicated, did not affect the occupancy levels.

References

External links

* 1963 establishments in Switzerland 1988 establishments in Switzerland Foundations based in Switzerland Organisations based in Zürich Non-profit organisations based in Switzerland Charities based in Switzerland Culture of Zürich Protestantism in Switzerland {{charity-org-stub