Category: Press Releases

21.04.2026

Chernobyl at 40: the disaster is not over

Four decades after the Chernobyl disaster, its consequences are still being felt. The direct and indirect effects include long-term health consequences such as thyroid cancer, as well as the ongoing economic decline of the surrounding regions. Green Cross Switzerland is marking the anniversary to remind the world of the scale of the tragedy and to draw attention to the major challenges that persist today.

In the early hours of 26 April 1986, one of the most severe man-made disasters in history occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The explosions in the reactor released vast quantities of radioactive material. It was only gradually that people in the region — and in the West — learned of the accident.

Chernobyl, situated in present-day Ukraine, was at the time part of the Soviet Union, which was led by Mikhail Gorbachev. Working in close collaboration with the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Green Cross Switzerland subsequently advocated for the people of the region for many years. Yet even today, the consequences of the disaster are far from overcome. The damaged reactor will continue to emit dangerously high levels of radiation for generations to come.

“Even 40 years after Chernobyl, the consequences of the disaster remain a bitter reality for many people. The war in Ukraine is making an already difficult situation even harder,” says Martin Bäumle, CEO of Green Cross Switzerland.

For the war in Ukraine is simultaneously plunging the region into yet another crisis. Green Cross remains on the ground for as long as the late effects of the nuclear disaster and the horrors of the war in Ukraine continue to weigh heavily on people’s lives.

Green Cross welcomes the opportunity to give media professionals an insight into its work. Martin Bäumle, Member of the National Council and CEO of Green Cross Switzerland, who held personal conversations with Gorbachev on the consequences of the reactor accident, is available for interview. He is happy to share his assessment of how the situation is developing and of conditions on the ground today.

Martin Bäumle: +41 79 358 14 85

For written enquiries: media@greencross.ch

25.07.2025

Annual Report 2024 – Green Cross Switzerland Marks 30 Years of Impact

In 2024, Green Cross Switzerland (GCCH) marked 30 years of dedicated work addressing the long-term consequences of industrial and military disasters. Over the decades, two regions have emerged as core areas of focus: Ukraine and Vietnam.

Since 1998, GCCH has been supporting victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam – a highly toxic defoliant used by the United States and its allies during the Vietnam War. The health impacts remain severe, and the need for care is ongoing. Many affected individuals rely on lifelong medical treatment and orthopaedic support. Given the uncertain outlook for international aid – particularly from the United States – GCCH continues to expand its commitment. Support was increased in 2024 and will be further scaled up in 2025.

In Ukraine, GCCH concentrated in 2024 on helping those plunged into crisis by the ongoing war, particularly in the region around Chernobyl. Our approach goes beyond emergency relief: we are committed to sustainable planning and actively contribute to rebuilding efforts in affected areas.

To support these long-term goals, GCCH further strengthened its organisational foundation in 2024.
“This allows us to expand our aid projects and ensure lasting support in our key regions of operation,” says Martin Bäumle, CEO of GCCH.

We extend our sincere thanks to our donors. Your continued support makes our work possible – and many of you have stood with us for years.

The 2024 Annual Report provides a comprehensive look at our projects and shows what we have achieved together.

19.09.2024

2023: Ongoing support for those in need

In 2023, humanitarian aid in Ukraine remained a key focus for Green Cross Switzerland (GCCH). Our efforts centred on ensuring the safety of drinking water in war-affected areas, as the conflict has caused contamination that poses serious, sometimes life-threatening risk, particularly for children and the elderly. Once again, we are committed to providing effective humanitarian aid in rapidly changing conditions.

The region surrounding Chernobyl has been a priority for GCCH since its inception. Even before the war, the situation there was already precarious. While the contaminated areas in Ukraine are relatively distant from the front lines, they remain vulnerable to missile strikes and other acts of war. As a result, we have shifted our focus in the region from development aid to humanitarian aid.

In Vietnam, we successfully continued and expanded our project work. Decades after the Vietnam War, the effects of Agent Orange still result in hereditary genetic disorders and severe deformities, while support for the victims remains inadequate. GCCH continues to play a vital role in providing ongoing assistance, particularly in orthopaedic care. It is absolutely crucial that artificial limbs and orthopaedic supports are adjusted regularly, especially in the case of children to accommodate their growth.

In 2024, we are prioritizing the expansion of psychological support services. In Ukraine, the psychological toll of the war is becoming increasingly severe, particularly for children and young people. Through our therapy programme, we are bringing light into this darkness. In Vietnam, where people with disabilities are frequently excluded from society and even from family life, we are also working to broaden psychological and social support for those affected by Agent Orange.

The GCCH team would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of our aid projects this year, helping us provide meaningful support to countless individuals.

You can read the full Annual Report here.

26.04.2024

Thirty years of Green Cross Switzerland and 38th International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

Today marks the 38^th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 26 April 1986 Green Cross Switzerland (GCCH) was set up eight years after the tragedy as the Swiss branch of Green Cross International, which had been founded in the previous year by figures including Mikhail Gorbachev and Roland Wiederkehr. The two events are closely linked. One of the reasons why Green Cross was established as a complement to the International Red Cross was to support those affected by human-made disasters such as Chernobyl.

With its devastating consequences for humanity and the environment that can still be felt to this day, Chernobyl is symbolic of the kind of human-made environmental catastrophes that GCCH has been helping to manage for the past 30 years. Ever since we were set up, we have focused our efforts on tackling the impact of the Chernobyl disaster in the hardest-hit parts of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. We are one of just a handful of NGOs to still be working in the region to the extent permitted by the circumstances brought about by the war in Ukraine.

As with all GCCH’s activities, this support remains geared towards quickly providing people with the help they need to help themselves for a long-term impact. Thus the international Social and Medical Care and Education (SOCMED) programme is one of our foundation’s main priorities. It is designed to give people resources to make a lasting improvement to their lives through their own efforts. From 1995 onwards, for example, therapy camps were set up in contaminated areas – initially in Belarus and then in Russia and Ukraine. This was followed from the mid-2000s by the establishment of Family Clubs to help women and girls improve their lives independently over the long term.

In addition, GCCH has worked for the regulation and destruction of chemical weapons. In Vietnam, we have supported the victims of the herbicide mixture known as Agent Orange since 1998. Its use during the Vietnam War continues to have disastrous consequences even now. SOCMED likewise plays a major role in our project work in Vietnam. GCCH also helped provide urgent relief in response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster (2011) and has been involved in numerous projects in various other countries (including supporting victims of a poison gas attack in Iraq in 2008 and, in 2015, cleaning up an area of Tajikistan heavily contaminated by uranium mining).

In the late 2010s, GCCH concentrated its activities more on project work in the Chernobyl region and in Vietnam. Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the organisation provided information, training and advice to support the people in its project countries and helped to develop the Condair Cube for monitoring air quality indoors.

The current environment is dominated by the war in Ukraine, i.e. by the restrictions that it is imposing on project work in Belarus and by the temporary suspension of work in Russia. Via the local organisation Green Crystal, GCCH is now providing humanitarian aid to those in Ukraine affected by the war. Besides food, clothes, medicine and equipment for purifying contaminated drinking water, this has also, since earlier this year, included psychological counselling for children, young people and adults traumatised by the war.

Thanks to successful fundraising efforts, GCCH has built up financial reserves over the past few years and is now gradually increasing its expenditure on projects – for a future free from contamination.

Contact for press enquiries:
Martin Bäumle
+41 (0)79 358 14 85

22.08.2023

2022: Focus on humanitarian aid in war-torn Ukraine

The year 2022 was marked by the war in Ukraine, which was the focus of reporting. Also for Green Cross Switzerland, Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine meant a major adjustment in its project work with a new focus in Ukraine. While the project work in Russia was suspended until further notice, our work in Belarus could only be continued on a reduced scale.

In Ukraine, we were unable to continue normal project work, but immediately shifted our focus to humanitarian aid. It was clear that the Ukrainian population was in urgent need of help and we therefore delivered goods such as food, medicine and baby items. In addition, from the second half of the year we supplied systems that can clean polluted water. Because of the war many pollutants and germs get into the drinking water. These pragmatic aid activities will continue in the future. It is also planned that Green Cross Switzerland will support reconstruction projects.

In Vietnam, outreach to those affected by Agent Orange continued. Green Cross Switzerland focused on providing orthopedic aids, as Vietnamese health insurance does not cover orthotics or prosthetics. In addition, we were involved in the care, nursing and daily living of children and young people affected by Agent Orange. We also focused on continuing education for medical professionals, particularly in the area of orthotics.

2022 was a financially stable year for Green Cross Switzerland. We were able to continue the projects in Vietnam and to continue our previous work in Ukraine in a different form. The Foundation Board and team are therefore delighted and sincerely thank your donors for their continued support. We will continue to do our utmost to help those affected by man-made disasters in difficult situations.

You can find the full annual report in German here.

03.08.2023

Stand actions at Hechtplatz and Bahnhofstrasse, in front of Pestalozzi-Wiese in Zurich – Agent-Orange-Day, August 10, 2023

Thursday, August 10 is the International Day of Remembrance for the victims of the dioxin-containing defoliant “Agent Orange,” which was used during the Vietnam War and continues to have serious health effects today. The herbicide can cause cancer, organ damage and deformities even in small amounts. Exposure to Agent Orange has been the cause of an unusually high number of miscarriages, skin diseases, cancers and congenital malformations since the 1970s. Children and adolescents in particular still suffer from the devastating late effects of the herbicide today.

The Green Cross Switzerland Foundation and the Switzerland-Vietnam Association would like to use this day of remembrance with a stand each to draw attention to the continuing effects of Agent Orange. With the ongoing war in Ukraine, the devastating consequences of armed conflict are particularly present. Unfortunately, the suffering caused by wars is not limited to the events of the day, but often entails long-lasting after-effects. For almost 30 years, Green Cross Switzerland has therefore been committed to the SOCMED program for those affected by Agent Orange in Vietnam. The Switzerland-Vietnam Association demands justice for the victims of this chemical weapon and, together with medico international switzerland, is involved in projects to alleviate their suffering.

“The use of Agent Orange by the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War stands as a sad example of the unimaginable suffering that military targets can cause to civilians. It is of great importance not to forget the devastating effects of Agent Orange and to continue to provide support to the affected people, as those responsible for its use unfortunately largely shirk their responsibility,” says Martin Bäumle, CEO of Green Cross Switzerland and member of the National Council.

Green Cross Switzerland and the Switzerland-Vietnam Association are organizing a stand campaign on Hechtplatz and on Bahnhofstrasse in front of Pestalozzi-Wiese in Zurich on August 10 to commemorate the victims of Agent Orange and to inform the public about the ongoing relief projects.

Press contact Green Cross Switzerland:

Martin Bäumle

CEO and National Councillor of the GLP

Phone: +41 79 358 14 85

E–mail: info@greencross.ch or

martin.baeumle@parl.ch

Website: www.greencross.ch

Press Contact Association Switzerland-Vietnam:

Anjuska Weil

President of the SAAM

Phone: +41 76 526 17 87

E-mail: mail@vsv-asv.ch or a.weil@sunrise.ch

Website: vsv–asv.ch

29.07.2022

Annual Report 2021: Positive Outcomes Despite the Pandemic

2021 was a challenging year for Green Cross Switzerland. Although projects had to be adapted to the needs of the pandemic, our medical, social, and psychological programs for victims of military and industrial disasters could continue to be pursued with dedication. Additionally, in regions of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus we’ve initiated pilot projects to promote sustainable energy sources (e.g. solar panels). Due to COVID-related restrictions, only a portion of projects in Vietnam could be carried out.

“After a financially good year, we are looking at the year 2022 with confidence. The year will undoubtedly bring new and great challenges for Green Cross,” says Martin Bäumle, CEO. “Our team is doing its best to support people in Ukraine by providing humanitarian aid, and will also ensure to help with the reconstruction process in the future”.

“It was heartening to experience our donors’ solidarity in these unfamiliar and uncertain times. We are very thankful for their support”, says Béatrice Lombard-Martin, President of the Board of Trustees

Annual Report 2021 (PDF)

Detailed annual financial statements 2021 (in German)

12.04.2022

Green Cross Switzerland remains in contact with its partners in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia and is now focusing on humanitarian aid in Ukraine

The latest and unexpected war developments in Ukraine have upset Green Cross Switzerland, causing incomprehension and great uncertainty.

Therefore, on the morning of 25 February 2022, Green Cross Switzerland held a virtual meeting with its partners in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Despite the difficult circumstances, the participants ensured mutual friendship and continued cooperation.

Relation between Green Cross and its partner organizations will remain strong.

As the difficult situation in Ukraine is evolving rapidly, Green Cross Switzerland has decided to focus immediately on humanitarian help, together with its partners on site. In the coming weeks, efforts will be made to intensify the aid-network.

Since 1994, Green Cross Switzerland has been working for people affected by man-made disasters. Aid projects are concentrated in the radioactively contaminated regions around Černobyl’ and in Vietnamese villages affected by “Agent Orange”.

Contact:
Martin Bäumle
+41 (0)79 358 14 85

26.07.2021

Annual Report 2020

Gerne machen wir Sie auf unseren Jahresbericht mit Jahresrechnung aufmerksam, in welchem Sie detaillierte Informationen zu den durchgeführten Hilfsprojekten des Sozialmedizin Programms in unseren Partnerländern Russland, Weissrussland, Ukraine und Vietnam im Jahre 2020 finden.

Martin Bäumle, seit 01.01.2021 neuer Geschäftsleiter im Mandat, freut sich zusammen mit dem Team von Green Cross Schweiz, dem Stiftungsrat und den Partnerorganisationen vor Ort die gute Arbeit von 2020 fortzuführen. Dank dem Aufbau eines soliden Fundaments kann Green Cross Schweiz die Hilfsprojekte im Jahr 2021 ausweiten. Dazu gehört die Installation von Solaranlagen auf öffentlichen Gebäuden in Ortschaften, die besonders stark von den Nachwirkungen der Tschernobyl-Katastrophe betroffen sind. Damit will Green Cross den Leidtragenden direkt mit nachhaltiger Energieversorgung helfen und ein Zeichen für eine hoffnungsvolle Zukunft setzen.

Stiftungsratspräsidentin Béatrice Lombard-Martin dankt im Namen des Stiftungsrats allen treuen Spenderinnen und Spendern für das Vertrauen und die Unterstützung im Jahr 2020, welches auch für die Schweiz kein leichtes Jahr war.

15.02.2021

Martin Bäumle ends dual mandate at Green Cross Switzerland

Nach einem erfolgreichen Aufbaujahr, in welchem Green Cross Schweiz trotz Erschwerungen wegen Covid19 wieder mehr Projekte durchführen konnte, hat der Stiftungsrat von Green Cross entschieden, das Doppelmandat von Martin Bäumle wie geplant per 31.12.2020 zu beenden. Damit sind ab 01.01.2021 die Rollen von Stiftungsrat und Geschäftsleitung von Green Cross Schweiz wieder klar getrennt.

Martin Bäumle hat per 31.12.2020 als bisheriger CEO ad interim und Stiftungsratspräsident seinen Posten als Stiftungsratspräsident niedergelegt. Er wird aber weiter als Geschäftsleiter im Mandat für Green Cross Schweiz tätig sein. Green Cross Schweiz dankt Martin Bäumle für sein langjähriges Engagement als Stiftungsrat und Stiftungsratspräsident und freut sich ihn als Geschäftsleiter begrüssen zu dürfen.

Martin Bäumle hatte im Jahr 2018 als CEO ad interim die schwierige Aufgabe übernommen, Green Cross Schweiz aus einer prekären Finanzsituation zu manövrieren. Zusammen mit dem Stiftungsrat und einem jungen motivierten Team konnte Martin Bäumle die Organisation wieder auf ein solides Fundament stellen, damit das sozialmedizinische Programm in Ukraine, Weissrussland, Russland und Vietnam gesichert und weitergeführt werden konnte.

Neue Stiftungsratspräsidentin ist ab 01.01.2021 die bisherige Stiftungsrats-Vizepräsidentin Béatrice Lombard-Martin. Green Cross Schweiz ist sehr erfreut, dass Béatrice Lombard-Martin mit ihrem wertvollen Einsatz als langjähriges Mitglied des Stiftungsrates nun als neue Stiftungsratspräsidentin das Zepter übernimmt. Ihre langjährige internationale Führungserfahrung, ihre Stärke in der Kommunikation, unter anderem auch im NGO-Bereich, und ihre guten Beziehungen insbesondere zu Russland sind äusserst wertvoll für die Hilfsorganisation.

Der Stiftungsrat und die Geschäftsleitung sind überzeugt, dass die angepasste Struktur im Interesse einer erfolgreichen Zukunft von Green Cross Schweiz ist. Kontinuität, Stabilität und schlanke Strukturen erlauben es, dass die Hilfsprojekte schrittweise weiter ausgebaut werden können und die Spendengelder so effektiv eingesetzt werden können. Basis ist eine vertrauensbasierte und effiziente Zusammenarbeit und eine offene Kommunikationskultur zwischen Geschäftsleitung, dem Team, dem Stiftungsrat und den Partnerorganisationen vor Ort.