About us
Our story
We are David Hassani, Valentina Grazioli, Noah Zilic and Nadine Lützelschwab, and together we founded Compassion in the Right Place. David, Valentina and Nadine are on the association’s board. We are committed to supporting people who face a difficult life simply because of their background. The idea to set up this organisation arose following the Taliban’s return to Afghanistan in August 2021. Many Afghans fled to neighbouring Pakistan, particularly to the city of Quetta (Balochistan). David, who is of Afghan descent and has lived in Switzerland since 2011, was visiting his family in Pakistan at the time. He collected money from friends and acquaintances, which he distributed directly to Afghan refugees in Quetta. The initiative was a great success: with the money raised, he was able to help various families in need. After returning to Switzerland, he was highly motivated to help more people. So we decided to set up an aid organisation together to collect donations in a structured and organised manner, and to give them as directly as possible to people in Afghanistan and Pakistan, or to fund projects that improve their living conditions in a long-term and sustainable way. Since 2025, Yvonne Weissberg, Fernanda Cossio and Luana Zappella have also been supporting Compassion in the Right Place as active members. We were also able to count on the support of Saeedeh Shirmohammadi-Stoll for the translation of our website into Persian.
David
Co-President
« Through my own background and my family, I understand the situation of people in Afghanistan and Pakistan. »
Valentina
Co-President and Treasurer
« David made me realise just how difficult life is for people in Afghanistan and Pakistan. That’s what motivates me to get involved with Compassion in the Right Place. »
Nadine
Board Member
« The direct and personal help provided on the ground is what convinces me. »
Noah
Founding Member
« Donations only make sense if the money is used directly on the ground. That’s why I’m committed to Compassion in the Right Place. »
Yvonne
Active Member
« I’m involved with Compassion in the Right Place because, through my interactions with refugees, I’ve learnt how important it is to gain first-hand insight into the living conditions of people in other countries, enabling me to support projects that have a lasting impact. »
Luana
Active Member
« I enjoy volunteering for Compassion in the Right Place because I can see the passion with which our group runs the organisation – and how much this helps the people in Afghanistan. »
Purpose of the organisation
Compassion in the Right Place is an aid organisation dedicated to helping people in need in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We collect donations to fund projects in these countries that ease and improve the lives of poor people. This includes, for example, building infrastructure such as bridges or investing in roads to ensure the necessary transport of medicine and food, as well as enabling access to schools and medical facilities. We are particularly keen to support disadvantaged groups, such as women. By building a school in Siaqol (project as of 2025), we will enable girls and boys in a remote mountainous region to attend school in a building that will remain safe in the long term.
Our aim is to provide aid as directly as possible through our own local contacts. All our members work on a voluntary basis. This enables us to minimise administrative overheads and costs. Your donation goes directly to projects we have clearly identified, so you know exactly where your money is being spent.
Compassion in the Right Place is a registered association under Article 60 of the Swiss Civil Code.
Why Afghanistan and Pakistan?
People living in Afghanistan and Pakistan urgently need our help. In these countries, innocent people are struggling with the challenges of long-standing political conflicts, natural disasters and poverty. 97% of Afghans live in poverty; over 24 million people (equivalent to roughly three times the population of Switzerland!) cannot survive in Afghanistan without the help of aid organisations (source: UNICEF, 2022). They often have no access to basic resources or vital infrastructure. In recent decades, many Afghans have fled to neighbouring countries, particularly Pakistan and Iran. There, they often live in poverty and have no rights. Through the support of our organisation, we can give them hope. We have direct contacts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which is why we can provide aid there without bureaucratic hurdles.
Young Caritas Award 2024
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This video (in German) gave us a fantastic opportunity to take part in the Young Caritas Award in December 2024. In it, David and Valentina present Compassion in the Right Place. Our organisation was nominated for the People’s Choice Award – a big thank you to everyone who supported us!
Compassion in the Right Place im Zürcher Oberländer
On 20 March 2025, an article appeared in the Zürcher Oberländer about David and his strong motivation to support Afghans in need, as well as the completed and future projects of Compassion in the Right Place. The article is also available online (in German).