Testamentary donations
If you wish to leave a portion of your assets to DSW, you can do so in your will or inheritance contract. If you have a life insurance policy or a savings or share contract, you can also name DSW as the beneficiary.
Thinking of tomorrow today
Legal succession and wills
If there is no will or testamentary contract, the estate is divided between spouses or registered partners and relatives in accordance with the law. If you leave no family behind, the inheritance goes to the state. This order can only be changed by a written will. A will can be handwritten or drawn up by a notary.
Tax-free allowance and inheritance tax
Depending on the assets to be inherited and the family relationship, the state grants different tax allowances on the assets. The more distant the family relationship, the higher the tax rate and the lower the tax-free amount. Only non-profit organisations and foundations such as DSW are exempt from inheritance tax.
Get advice
Because of the many ways in which your will can be drafted, we recommend that you seek legal advice.
You ask yourself
Where do I want to leave traces and pass on my values beyond my lifetime? Who do I want to leave my legacy to?
Our Promise
By remembering DSW in your will, you give young people in East Africa the chance to lead healthy and self-determined lives. We will handle your estate professionally, respectfully and in accordance with your wishes – that is our promise to you.
- Every contribution makes a dig difference. Even a small donation can make a big difference and empower young people. Find out more about how we work on our website.
- Your decision is central. We understand that circumstances can change. We can adapt your will to reflect your current personal preferences.
- You have various options. If you want your support to have a direct impact after your death, you can include DSW in your will. Or you can make a long-term and sustainable impact with an endowmen fund.
- Play an active role in shaping the future. The choices you make will affect the world long after you are gone. You are giving other people a fair and just chance in life.
- We are here for you. We are by your side in this important matter.
“It is very important to me to live as sustainably as possible and to support DSW’s preventative project approach.”
“I have been involved with DSW since 2002. My travels to East Africa in the 1970s and 90s left a deep impression on me. Over the years, I have observed that the African continent is facing great challenges due to its growing population – with consequences for local living conditions, but also for the economy and the environment. It is therefore very important to me to live as sustainably as possible and to support DSW’s preventative project approach. That is why I have decided to support DSW with my legacy. I find it reassuring to know that I can help shape the future after my death and give young people a perspective.”
Christian Schrom, DSW co-founder and long-time sponsor
Get advice now without obligation
Are you thinking of including Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung in your will? Or would you simply like to discuss how you can make a positive difference to the future of young people? We look forward to hearing your thoughts and would be happy to talk to you.
Empowering young people in East Africa with your legacy
In most East African countries, not only is access to contraceptives and health services limited, there is also a lack of educational programmes for young people. Young people in particular are at increased risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Informed and healthy young people can shape their own futures and hold great potential for the future of their countries.
Since 1995, DSW has therefore established a network of youth clubs for sexuality education and health prevention in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. In the clubs, peer educators trained by us inform their peers about how they can protect themselves from unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. We combine our education programme with training and further education measures. These empower young people to improve their lives independently and in the long term.
The youth clubs also organise their own awareness campaigns in their communities and send trained members to advocate for young people at the political level. In this way, we engage parents, teachers and community members in sustainable social change and ensure that policymakers in East Africa prioritise and fund the health sector.
Motivations for charitable bequests
41 percent
… would like to pass on their values
25 percent
… would like to give something back to society
23 percent
… would like to invest their inheritance sustainably and create something lasting
22 percent
… have no relatives, do not want the state to inherit their estate
21 percent
… their relatives have already been provided for
Source: Initiative “Mein Erbe tut Gutes. Das Prinzip Apfelbaum”, GfK-Umfrage “Gemeinnütziges Vererben in Deutschland”, 2019
Get advice now without obligation
Frequently asked questions
For a comprehensive overview of the topics of wills and inheritance law, we recommend the brochure “Erben und Vererben” (only available in German) from the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection, which you can download here.
You yourself can choose the focus of your support during your lifetime. If you do not, your legacy will be used to fund projects that improve the lives of young people in East Africa. Your gift will go towards education programmes, health services and awareness raising to create lasting change.
Yes, you can adjust your testamentary donation to Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW) in your will if your circumstances or preferences change.
You have a number of options for organising your support. You can make a one-off donation in your will or make a long-term impact by establishing an endowment fund under the umbrella of DSW or by making by making an endowment to DSW in your will..
As we are unable to provide legal advice, please contact your lawyer or notary directly to amend your will. We will, of course, assist you throughout the process.
It is always a good idea to make a will. This is the only way to determine who should receive your assets. If there is no will, your relatives or the state will inherit. A will should be drafted in such a way that its provisions are valid regardless of the size of your estate.
If you would like to include severalorganisatons in your will and you have no relatives, it may be helpful to name only one or a few organisations as direct beneficiaries. You can leave a legacy, for example a certain amount of money, to the other organisations. This makes it easier to reach agreement among the few beneficiaries.
You can add to, amend or revoke your will at any time without giving a reason. If you have concluded an inheritance contract, you can no longer unilaterally change the inheritance promise, unless the contract reserves the right to revoke. You can only revoke or amend a joint will together as long as both spouses or partners are alive. After the death of one partner, the surviving partner is bound by the joint will, unless you have stipulated in your will that the surviving partner can make new testamentary dispositions. Please consult your lawyer or notary for advice.
Does this appeal to you? Arrange a personal consultation.
Would you like to support DSW with part of your estate or through a foundation? Please contact us, we look forward to hearing from you and developing opportunities together.
Your contact person
Sina RabeHead of Fundraising Unit
Telephone: +49 511 94373-15
Email: sina.rabe[at]dsw.org
Our donations accountDeutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW)
IBAN: DE56 2504 0066 0383 8380 00
BIC: COBADEFFXXX
Or donate online here
Submit a report
If you know or suspect that the DSW Code of Conduct or a policy has been violated, we urge you to report it. The DSW reporting system provides three formal channels for reporting concerns and incidents.
Our confidential channels
Submit a complaint
DSW’s reporting system offers three formal channels for reporting concerns and incidents.
External person of trust
You can contact an external person of trust by e-mail. External persons of trust have specialist knowledge in the field of safeguarding and know DSW well, but have an independent relationship with the organisation. They will forward the report (anonymously if requested) for processing. Each country office and European office is assigned an external person of trust who can be contacted via separate e-mail addresses:
Executive Team
You can contact our Executive Director Jan Kreutzberg and our Deputy Executive Director Angela Bähr directly via the e-mail address complaints@dsw.org.
Anonymous report
You can use the form below to make an anonymous report. It will be forwarded directly to the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director of DSW.
All reports received, whether by an anonymous or known informant, will be taken seriously and followed up as appropriate. In general, however, anonymous reports are often more difficult to follow up on than reports where the identity of the informant is known, as no follow-up can be done. We therefore encourage you to make anonymous reports only in special circumstances to facilitate appropriate follow-up.
DSW’s safeguarding regulations
For more information about our safeguarding regulations, you can download our corresponding booklet.
For a self-determined and healthy life
For more than 30 years, we have been working in East Africa to empower young people to make their own decisions about sexuality and contraception. At the political level in Germany, the EU, East Africa and in international alliances, we are committed to strengthening sexual and reproductive health and rights, greater gender equality, global health and the fight against poverty-related and neglected diseases.
Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW) was founded in 1991 by entrepreneurs Erhard Schreiber (†) and Dirk Roßmann from Hannover, to contribute to sustainable population development. The reason for the world’s growing population soon became clear: many women and girls were having more children than they wanted. The human right to family planning therefore became the focus of our work. As young people face particular challenges when it comes to information on sexuality and contraception, they are at the centre of our work.
Our mission
We envision a world in which all young people live healthy lives and make informed decisions about their reproductive lives.
Who we are
Our vision
What we believe in, what we dream of and how we work to make it happen.
Our team
DSW’s structures and teams.
Our political work
Political dialogue for a healthier and fairer world.
Our history
A behind-the-scenes look at 30 years of DSW.
Our projects
How we work with our local partners.
Where we workWe work on two levels to pursue our goals: In Europe, to give our concerns a voice at a political level. And on the ground
Our advocacy work in Germany and in the EU.DSW’s headquarters are in Hannover. In Berlin and Brussels, we work to convince political decision-makers of our goals and gain their support.
Click on the highlighted cities/countries to find out more about our offices. Project work in East AfricaWe work with people who give their all to improve living conditions. We support them with sustainable concepts and strong partnerships.
Click on the highlighted cities/countries to find out more about our offices.
What we work for
We envision a world where all young people – especially girls and young women – can live free from disease and make empowered choices through full access to sexuality education, health services and modern contraception.
Sexuality education and contraception
Educating young people about their bodies and sexuality, and giving them access to contraceptives and age-appropriate health care are core tasks for us. Voluntary family planning is a prerequisite for an empowered future.
Equal rights for all
A key aim of our educational work is bodily autonomy, especially for girls and women. But it is also important to convey to young men that any form of violence against women is not the basis for a healthy relationship. Women’s empowerment is a key to a sustainable society.
Future prospects for young people
We are committed to the full participation of young people in East Africa by strengthening their voices, promoting education and creating opportunities for political participation.
Political dialogue
We work to achieve our goals at all political and social levels, regionally, nationally and internationally. We do this through our teams in Berlin, Brussels and East Africa, but also by training young people locally to stand up for their rights and have a say in politics.
Our Projects
Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW) is one of the few German organisations that promotes the right to family planning in development cooperation. In particular, we support young people in East Africa to make self-determined decisions about their sexuality and contraception.
We have chosen a selection of our projects to give you an insight into our work in the East African countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. This page will be updated regularly.
What sets our initiatives apart
Our approach
Sub-Saharan Africa has the youngest population in the world – almost one in two people is under the age of 15. This generation of young people holds great potential for the development of their home countries. Through our projects in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, we are committed to providing young people with education and health initiatives that give them the chance of a better future.
In our projects, young people can learn about taboo topics such as sexuality and contraception. For example, they learn how to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy and HIV. A special feature of our work is the principle of “by young people, for young people”. This allows young people to talk openly about sensitive issues. They can also share their experiences and knowledge with each other in a friendly and safe environment.
Through our educational work and our training programmes young people gain the skills to how to earn their own income. In this way, we help them to stand on their own two feet and escape poverty. We also involve parents, teachers, political and religious leaders, and communities in our project work to achieve the greatest and most sustainable impact.
Impressions from current projects
Flying Nurses trained by us offer important medical services to (mainly young) people in Ethiopia.
POWER is an initiative funded by DSW and led by our partner Action for Health Uganda to promote female-led business start-ups.
The project “Afya yangu – shule yangu” (“My health – my school”) is aimed at young women and girls between the ages of 15 and 19.
The Youth Truck is very popular. Many young people come to the truck to get information, education and communication material and condoms.
For many young people, talking to their parents about contraception is out of the question. This is where the “Life Yangu” app comes into play.
Youth for Health (Y4H) is an EU co-funded initiative that aims to improve access to sexual and reproductive healthcare and rights for young people.
What sets our initiatives apart
Helping people to help themselves
The principle of ‘helping people to help themselves’ is central to development cooperation because it promotes long-term, sustainable change. Rather than offering short-term solutions, this principle focuses on strengthening the skills and resources of local communities. By empowering people to solve their own problems and improve their lives, sustainable development becomes possible. This approach promotes personal responsibility, independence and the development of skills within communities, leading to a sustainable and lasting improvement in the quality of life, without creating permanent dependency on external assistance. It is also central to put young people and their needs and aspirations at the centre, without ignoring their environment.
Measuring impact
Collecting and analysing data is a key part of our project work. Many of our projects are evaluated by external experts – as required by donors – or we commission studies ourselves. We also use a web-based database in which we systematically record and analyse our impact observations and project progress. To do this, we train our teams and peer educators to collect data on the impact of our work. They ask their peers whether education, information and advice has helped them. This data is particularly useful to us because it feeds directly into our project work.
An example
Project “Flying Nurses”
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More Information
Age-appropriate (and discreet) health care for young people is the goal of the Youth-Friendly Clinics (YFC), which began as a pilot project in Asela in 2022 and has since expanded to five clinics. Young patients do not have to sit with adults in a waiting room where they might meet friends or relatives. This is often a problem when it comes to topic of sex and sexual and reproductive health in Ethiopia, especially in rural areas where people know each other.
Another challenge is the vast distances involved. The youth-friendly clinics are addressing this issue with “flying nurses”, who provide family planning services in remote communities. One of them is 23-year-old Makeya. “DSW trained me,” she says, “and now I can use this knowledge to help the girls and young women who need it most.” But it is not always easy: “Most of the time we rely on vehicles, but sometimes we have to walk to reach remote communities,” Makeya says. Their patients are all the more grateful for this. Makeya now hopes to expand: “We want to reach more people and give them the basic contraceptive services they deserve,” she says. The five clinics are located in the Amhara, Oromia and SNNP regions. They work closely with local health authorities and centres. DSW aims to improve access, quality and utilisation of health services for young people, especially women and girls aged 15-29. Staff from the Ministry of Health have also been brought on board to promote the YFC. The youth-friendly information will also be translated into local languages.
Our focus on Africa
The world is young. About 42 per cent of the world’s 8 billion people are children, adolescents and young adults up to the age of 24. Their share of the population is particularly high in developing countries. In Europe, around 27 percent of the population is under the age of 24; in Africa, the figure is more than twice as high at 60 percent. Young people can be the key to development, especially in the poorer regions of the world. However, this requires that girls and boys have access to good health care, education and work, know their (basic) rights and are able to plan their own families. For over 30 years, we have therefore been carrying out educational work in East Africa and campaigning at political level in Germany and the EU to ensure that sustainable population development is on the international political agenda.
Our project database
Empowering young women with HIV
Empowering young women with HIV Schlüsselaktivitäten
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TeamUp project in Uganda
Prospects for young people – TeamUp in Uganda Key activities
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Sexuality education in informal settlements
Sexuality education in informal settlements Schlüsselaktivitäten
read more
More health in the workplace
More health in the workplace Schlüsselaktivitäten
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My health – My school
My health – My school Schlüsselaktivitäten
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Health and training for youth
Health and training for youth Schlüsselaktivitäten
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