Christliche Fachkräfte International e.V.

What Christliche Fachkräfte International e.V. does

Christliche Fachkräfte International e.V. (CFI) is a German Christian development non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Stuttgart, founded approximately 1984 by Winrich Scheffbuch. Operating under the unified consumer-facing brand "Coworkers," the organization functions as an umbrella platform consolidating three affiliated entities — Hilfe für Brüder International (project funding), Christliche Fachkräfte International (specialist deployment), and Co-Workers International (volunteer programs) — to deliver a single mission of supporting worldwide Christian initiatives through development cooperation. The core service offering rests on three pillars: (1) Projekte, providing financial support and emergency aid for Christian projects globally, (2) Fachkräfte, dispatching mid-career professionals to partner organizations in healthcare, education, agriculture, and organizational development, and (3) Freiwillige, offering year-long volunteer placements for young people, supplemented by Fachpraktika (student internships), Generation Plus (retiree placements), and the Paul-Schneider-Fonds supporting persecuted Christians. Programs span more than 50 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe, with recent deployments cited in Burkina Faso, Laos, Malawi, DR Congo, Gambia, and Nepal.

The organization is funded entirely through charitable donations collected via the website's Spendenkorb (donation basket) system, with no products or services sold and no disclosed revenue. With 14 employees in Stuttgart, it sustains operations through a multi-channel outreach approach including its website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, email newsletter, WhatsApp prayer channel, in-person events (info evenings, send-off worship services, alumni weekends), and earned media via Evangelischer Pressedienst. The firm recorded 45 new volunteer deployments in a recent annual cycle and celebrated 40 years of specialist dispatch in 2024, indicating a mature, stable operational footprint rather than a venture-scale entity.

Name

Christliche Fachkräfte International e.V.

Legal name

Christliche Fachkräfte International e.V.

Website

https://cfi-stuttgart.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Christliche Fachkräfte International e.V. (Coworkers) is a Stuttgart-based German Christian non-profit that dispatches professionals and volunteers, funds projects, and supports persecuted Christians across 50+ countries, financed entirely through charitable donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Development Cooperation

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs (EDAIAGAI), Missionary Training Colleges & Schools (EDAHAKAF), International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB), Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• International development cooperation
• Volunteer placement programs
• Faith-based nonprofit
• Humanitarian aid services
• Professional deployment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Stuttgart

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Christliche Fachkräfte International e.V. is a Christian non-profit development organization that recruits, trains, and dispatches professional specialists, interns, retirees, and young volunteers to partner organizations worldwide for development cooperation. It also channels financial support from donors to Christian projects globally, including emergency aid, community development, theological education, and assistance for persecuted Christians.

Product overview

Christliche Fachkräfte International e.V. (operating as 'Coworkers') is a Christian development organization that operates a platform of interconnected programs supporting worldwide Christian initiatives. The core offerings consist of three main pillars: (1) Projekte providing financial support for Christian projects globally, (2) Fachkräfte sending professional specialists for long-term development cooperation assignments, and (3) Freiwillige offering year-long volunteer opportunities for young people. Additional programs include Fachpraktika for student internships and Generation Plus for retired professionals. The organization also operates the Paul-Schneider-Fonds specifically to support persecuted Christians. All programs work through partner organizations worldwide across multiple continents including Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fachpraktika: Specialist internship program for students and young professionals to gain international development experience
• Generation Plus
• Freiwillige
• Co-Workers International
• Paul-Schneider-Fonds

Products and services

• Coworkers Projekte (Projects) Financial support and project funding for worldwide Christian initiatives, including emergency aid, community development, theological education, and support for persecuted Christians. Channeled to partner organizations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
• Coworkers Fachkräfte (Specialists)
• Coworkers Freiwillige (Volunteers)
• Fachpraktika (Professional Internships)
• Generation Plus
• Paul-Schneider-Fonds (Paul Schneider Fund)

Quantifiable outcome

• 45 new volunteers deployed annually
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hilfe für Brüder International e.V. Sister organization sharing office space at Wächterstraße 3 Stuttgart. Operates the project-funding pillar under the same Coworkers Dachmarke; directly comparable as a faith-based German development cooperation entity with international reach.
• Vereinte Evangelische Mission (VEM): German-based evangelical alliance connecting Protestant churches for international mission, development cooperation, and personnel exchange. Strong overlap with CFI's Fachkräfte and faith-based development mandate.
• Youth With A Mission (YWAM): Global evangelical volunteer and short-term missions organization with strong presence in Germany. Most directly comparable to CFI's Freiwillige (volunteer) and Co-Workers International short-term assignment program.
• Janz Team e.V. German-based evangelical missions organization sending specialists and volunteers into international church and development work, including Generation-Plus-style retiree programs. Directly comparable in faith-based German Fachkräfte placement.
• SIM (Serving in Mission): International evangelical mission society sending long-term professionals, short-term volunteers, and retirees globally - directly paralleling CFI's three-pillar (Fachkräfte/Freiwillige/Generation Plus) model.
• Dienste in Übersee gGmbH: German sending organization that places development professionals (Fachkräfte) abroad through partnerships and state-funded programs (BMZ/Engagement Global). Closest direct competitor to CFI's specialist-dispatch pillar.

Broad incumbents

• Brot für die Welt: Development and relief service of the German Protestant churches; among the largest German faith-based development funders globally with extensive project portfolio across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• Kindernothilfe e.V. Major German Christian child-development NGO funded by donations, operating in dozens of countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Comparable on faith-based German donor model and multi-country project footprint.
• Christoffel-Blindenmission (CBM): Large German Christian disability-focused development organization with global operations, donation funding, and faith-based positioning. Comparable at scale in mission-driven German NGO space.
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft Evangelischer Missionen (AEM): Umbrella association of German Protestant mission organizations and churches active in international development cooperation and personnel dispatch. Directly comparable in the German faith-based missions ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLwedJuqc0DGGiYg1_vqiXQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Coworkers-1522957804625806
• Instagraminstagram.com/coworkers.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/christliche-fachkr%C3%A4fte-international-e.v.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Christliche Fachkräfte International e.V.