Schweizerische Fluchtlingshilfe

What Schweizerische Fluchtlingshilfe does

Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe (SFH) is a Swiss nonprofit organization (Verein) founded in 1936 and headquartered in Bern at Weyermannsstrasse 10. As Switzerland's self-described leading refugee organization and the formal umbrella body for Swiss refugee aid organizations, SFH protects asylum seekers and refugees through legal counseling and representation, political advocacy, educational programs for professionals and youth, country-of-origin analysis, and coordination of private (host-family) accommodation with cantons, municipalities, and member aid organizations. The membership coalition spans Caritas, Heilsarmee, HEKS, and (since May 2026) the Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz.

SFH's service portfolio comprises six core product areas delivered without any disclosed software platform, API, or mobile app: (1) youth education programs (Angebote für Jugendliche) covering flight, asylum, and integration in schools; (2) adult general continuing education on transcultural competence, migration trauma, and asylum fundamentals; (3) specialized legal continuing education for jurists and victim-protection advisors; (4) customized (massgeschneiderte) on-site training for institutional clients; (5) legal advice, legal protection (Rechtsschutz), and complaint support for protection seekers; and (6) publishing, including the Fachzeitschrift Asyl journal, Fluchtpunkt magazine, Handbuch zum Asyl- und Wegweisungsverfahren, country-of-origin reports, and position papers. SFH does not sell technology; program delivery occurs via in-person sessions in Bern, Zurich, Olten and online.

Revenue flows from three streams: individual donations (suggested tiers of CHF 80, 120, and 200, plus estate and corporate giving), course fees (CHF 70–165 per participant on a unit-pricing, pay-as-you-go basis), and annual membership dues from member organizations. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer and direct-to-institution: refugees reach SFH through its website, helpline, and in-person legal services; professionals and organizations enroll via the course catalog; cantonal and federal coordination occurs through direct institutional relationships and the annual Swiss Asylum Symposium co-organized with UNHCR. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; no external funding rounds, equity investors, or parent entities exist.

Name

Schweizerische Fluchtlingshilfe

Legal name

Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe SFH

Website

https://fluechtlingshilfe.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe (SFH) is a Swiss nonprofit founded in 1936, headquartered in Bern, and serving as the country's leading refugee aid umbrella organization. It provides asylum-seekers legal advice, advocacy, education, and host-family coordination across Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee and Migration Humanitarian Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE), Asylum & Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Support (BPADAHAB), Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH)

Keywords

• Refugee aid services
• Asylum legal advice
• Migration education
• Humanitarian advocacy
• Refugee protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donors contribute to support SFH's refugee protection activities, including direct support for protection seekers and broader advocacy work.
2. Course Fees: Fees charged for educational and professional development courses on asylum, migration, trauma, and intercultural topics.
3. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from member organizations including Caritas, Heilsarmee, HEKS, and other refugee aid organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Schweizerische Fluchtlingshilfe (SFH) is a Swiss nonprofit organization that provides legal counseling and legal protection for asylum seekers, political advocacy for refugee rights, educational and continuing-education programs on asylum, migration, trauma and intercultural topics for professionals and youth, expert publications (including the Fachzeitschrift Asyl journal and country-of-origin reports), and coordination of private accommodation and host family placement programs. The organization functions as the leading umbrella body of Swiss refugee aid organizations, including Caritas, Heilsarmee, HEKS, and the Swiss Red Cross.

Product overview

The Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe (SFH) operates as a non-profit refugee organization, not a technology product company. Its service portfolio consists of educational and advocacy offerings: (1) Youth Education Programs with modular sensitization offerings for schools; (2) Adult Continuing Education including general professional development courses (transcultural competence, migration and trauma, flight and asylum) and specialized legal training for jurists and legal advisors; (3) Customized Training Programs assembled from thematic modules for organizations; (4) Legal counseling and protection services for asylum seekers; (5) Expert Publications including the 'Fachzeitschrift Asyl' journal, 'Fluchtpunkt' magazine, country reports, and legal topic papers; and (6) Advocacy Campaigns including position papers, media releases, and policy engagement. The organization does not offer a software product, platform, or API.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SFH: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe - leading refugee organization in Switzerland

Products and services

• Legal Advice and Legal Protection (Rechtsberatung und Rechtsschutz) Legal counseling services and legal protection support for asylum seekers and refugees in Switzerland, including provision of complaint materials, legal representation through advocacy work, and a support fund (Unterstützungsfonds). Targeted at protection seekers navigating Swiss and Dublin asylum procedures.
• Educational Programs for Youth (Angebote für Jugendliche)
• General Continuing Education for Adults (Allgemeine Weiterbildungen)
• Legal Continuing Education (Rechtliche Weiterbildungen)
• Customized Training Programs (Massgeschneiderte Angebote)
• Publications (Publikationen)
• Campaigns and Advocacy (Kampagnen und Advocacy)
• Private Accommodation and Host Family Coordination (Private Unterbringung)

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz (SRK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026The Swiss Red Cross joined SFH as an associate member at the General Assembly, strengthening the organization's network and strategic governance. Three new board members were elected, including for the first time a representative from the Refugee Parliament.
• Caritas, Heilsarmee, HEKScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore member organizations of SFH's umbrella structure. They collaborate on advocacy campaigns (including Tour de Suisse der Menschlichkeit), share expertise, and coordinate refugee support activities across Switzerland.
• FIZ (Fachstelle Frauenhandel und Migrantinnen)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFH partners with FIZ for the specialized victim protection program for trafficking victims in the asylum sector. SFH educational courses reference the FIZ victim protection program as part of training for legal representatives.
• UNHCR Buro fur die Schweiz und LiechtensteincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFH co-organizes the annual Swiss Asylum Symposium with UNHCR, the most important national conference on asylum and migration, bringing together civil society, refugees, politicians, and experts.
• Berner Fachhochschule (BFH) und Hochschule Luzern (HSLU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFH collaborated with BFH and HSLU on a study examining the success of refugee placement with host families in Switzerland, with SFH providing expertise and research contribution.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency): The United Nations Refugee Agency is the global reference body for refugee protection. SFH co-organizes the Swiss Asylum Symposium with UNHCR's Buro fur die Schweiz and Liechtenstein, making UNHCR both a partner and the obvious broad incumbent peer for advocacy and policy influence.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): The IRC is a major international humanitarian NGO providing legal aid, education, and advocacy for refugees and displaced people. Comparable in combining direct legal/services delivery with policy advocacy, even though SFH is Switzerland-focused.

Direct peers

• Caritas Schweiz: Caritas Switzerland is one of SFH's core member organizations, delivering social and refugee services across Switzerland. It is directly comparable as a national humanitarian/social-services NGO operating in the same Swiss refugee and integration space.
• Heilsarmee Schweiz (Salvation Army Switzerland): The Salvation Army in Switzerland is a long-standing SFH member organization providing social and refugee support. Comparable as a faith-based humanitarian NGO delivering refugee-related services within Switzerland.
• HEKS (Hilfswerk der Evangelisch-reformierten Kirchen Schweiz): HEKS is a core SFH member organization active in refugee aid, integration, and humanitarian programs across Switzerland. It is directly comparable in mission, beneficiary focus, and Swiss-only operating scope.
• Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz (Swiss Red Cross): The Swiss Red Cross joined SFH as an associated member in 2026 and is one of Switzerland's largest humanitarian organizations with significant refugee and migration programming. Directly comparable as a major national humanitarian peer.
• FIZ Fachstelle Frauenhandel und Migrantinnen: FIZ is the specialist Swiss NGO for trafficking victims and migrant women, and a direct SFH partner for victim-protection training within the asylum sector. Directly comparable in the niche of asylum-sector victim protection and legal training.

Regional players

• Danish Refugee Council: The Danish Refugee Council is a national-origin European NGO delivering refugee protection, legal aid, and integration support. Comparable as a regional/national refugee NGO with combined services, advocacy, and education offerings analogous to SFH.
• Norwegian Refugee Council: The Norwegian Refugee Council is a major European humanitarian NGO providing legal aid, education, and advocacy for refugees. Comparable in combining legal services, training, and policy engagement at national and international levels.
• Asylum Seekers Centre (Australia) / Refugee Council of Australia: Refugee Council of Australia is the umbrella national refugee advocacy and support body, the closest structural analog to SFH's role as a Swiss refugee umbrella organization delivering policy advocacy, legal information, and education.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sfh_schweiz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Schweizerische Fluchtlingshilfe