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The GIZ Story Portal

Welcome to the GIZ Story Portal. We invite you to explore GIZ’s work worldwide, get to know fascinating people, and learn about leading experts’ views on crucial topics in international cooperation.

A firefighter in yellow gear stands with his hand raised to his forehead next to a monkey carrying a baby on its back, set against a green background with stylized leaves.
Infographic

Saving forests, safeguarding the future

Forests are vital – for the climate, the economy and society. We present an overview of this core ecosystem.
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Close-up of a toucan's head with a striking orange-yellow beak and vivid blue eye against a green, blurred background.
Feature

Saving the forest that protects us all – the Amazon Fund

Deforestation is slowing in Brazil. This is down to the environmental policy of President Lula – and the internationally financed Amazon Fund. GIZ supports the Fund, which is managed by Brazil.
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Six people posing together for a group photo, one person in the center holding a sign reading "#TEAMEUROPE".
Interview

‘Europe is a global forward-looking partner’

Michal Minčev heads the Czech Development Agency. In our interview he talks about new geopolitical realities, the need to pool resources and Europe’s position in the world.
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Looking for our akzente web portal?

The akzente web portal no longer exists under this name. But we are still reporting fascinating stories – here in the story portal.

Spotlight on skilled workers

Report

Trainees prepped and ready

The German skilled trades sector needs trainees and skilled workers – GIZ cooperates with small and medium-sized enterprises to connect German companies with motivated trainees from selected countries. In Jordan, the first group of talented young people have completed their preparation for vocational training in Germany.

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Two young men stand side by side in front of an informational poster about visa and work opportunities in Jordan.
Background

A win-win-win situation – more nurses for Germany

Germany has a shortage of nursing staff, yet many qualified skilled workers abroad are unable to find work. The Triple Win programme brings both sides together in a way that is fair and reliable.

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Two surgical staff members in green scrubs and face masks carefully disinfect their forearms.
Interview

‘It is essential that migration is fair!’

Interview with Andrea Nahles, Chair of the Executive Board of the German Federal Employment Agency, on skilled migration and the benefits it can have on all sides.

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Andrea Nahles

Introducing: Faces of GIZ

Bianca Perina

Hello from Islamabad

My name is Bianca Perina and I work at the GIZ office in Pakistan with a focus on climate risk finance.
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A man with gray hair and glasses smiles at the camera, wearing a brightly striped shirt and standing outdoors in front of tropical plants.

Hello from Kinshasa

My name is Olaf Handloegten. Since 2023, I’ve been coordinating GIZ projects as Country Director in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
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Eine Frau mit blonden, lockigen Haaren steht auf einem Balkon, trägt ein schwarzes, gemustertes Spitzenoberteil und lächelt leicht, im Hintergrund ist üppiges tropisches Grün mit Blüten und einem bewölkten Himmel zu sehen.

Hello from Niamey

I’m Natalie Naeser. I work for GIZ in Niger, where I manage the Sahel Resilience Strengthening project.
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Supporting diversity across borders

Silhouette of a praying person under a dramatic sky, with the text “Boundless Love – When love crosses borders” and a rainbow-colored heart.
The online exhibition ‘Boundless Love: When Love Crosses Borders’ tells the moving stories of LGBTIQ+ people who have had to leave their home countries. The exhibition explores their journeys and looks at overcoming fear, rejection and violence. People from different countries were looking for a safe place, and found it in Serbia. Here, they were supported by the Rainbow Migration Network (RMN), an alliance of civil society organisations.
© Sever Zolak/RMN
Blurry scene with a person in front of a bookshelf, where a book titled “Human Rights” is clearly visible.
The exhibition was initiated by the Rainbow Migration Network. The network is currently being supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) as part of a project to prevent and tackle the smuggling and trafficking of human beings in the Western Balkans. The RMN is an example of Germany’s commitment to LGBTIQ+ rights in international cooperation. Some of the LGBTIQ+ people who have experienced displacement and received support have spoken anonymously.
© Sever Zolak/RMN
A real person embraces a female bronze statue, with the human and statue hands placed parallel on the back.
‘I left my home country to escape persecution, seeking a life where my identity as an LGBTIQ+ person wouldn’t put me in danger. Where I come from, concepts like democracy and human rights are not just distant ideas – they’re completely foreign.’
© Sever Zolak/RMN
A person stands in the shadow of a tree, their face completely hidden by dense green leaves.
‘Life in Serbia is not without its challenges, but it is a far brighter place for me than Iran ever was. Here, I have found something I thought I’d lost forever – a sense of belonging.’
© Sever Zolak/RMN
Close-up of a brown eye illuminated by warm light, with reddish hair in the foreground.
‘For years, I was trapped in a cycle of fear and rejection. But through it all, I’ve learned something powerful: love can heal. The love I’ve found in supportive communities, the care I’ve received from organisations, and the hope that one day I will live freely have all given me the strength to keep going.’
© Sever Zolak/RMN
A person stands in front of a projection of a cityscape with a river, with the image cast onto their back.
‘Love, I’ve come to realise, is what has carried me through all these borders – helping me find a home, not just in a new country, but within myself. Helping me get out of the shadow and find a whole new magical palette of colours.’
© Sever Zolak/RMN
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