Saving lives,
Protecting rights,
Building futures.
Be an Angel e.V. is a global non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting human rights, and creating sustainable futures for people forced to flee conflict and oppression. Our vision is a world where refugees are welcomed with safety and dignity.
4 Global Hubs
Legally transparent, locally connected, and agile on the ground. Our international structure guarantees speed and maximum efficiency.
Be an Angel e.V.
Yorckstraße 4-11 10965 Berlin Germany
БО БФ «БІ ЕН ЕНЖЕЛ-УКРАЇНА»
Odesa & Field Forward Bases Ukraine
Friends of Be an Angel
11520 N Port Washington Rd #215 Mequon, WI 53092 United States
Be an Angel Schweiz
Zürich & Bern Switzerland
Our Milestones Since Founding in 2015
Born from civic responsibility in the freezing Berlin autumn of 2015: When asylum seekers were stranded outside the LaGeSo office, Andreas Tölke and Ulrike Lessig opened their private doors. This grew into an international frontline aid and integration network.
Art, Culture and Democracy
Café Kyiv, readings, the Ukraine Experts Conference and Berlin Freedom Week.
Town Twinning
Supporting the partnership between Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and Kyiv's Darnytsia district.
HOPE HOME
Sustainable reconstruction in Ukraine.
Integration in Germany
Counselling, participation and support for people with a refugee background.
Evacuation of Babies and Toddlers
A dedicated initiative led by Miriam Fassbender.
Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine
Aid deliveries, medical support and work in Kherson.
Ten Years of Be an Angel
Anniversary and development of the organisation.
Global Partnerships & Sustainable Impact
Solidified institutional pacts with UNHCR, the Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudsman, and EU ministries. Established permanent regional operating hubs in Odesa, Zurich/Bern, and Friends of Be an Angel USA.
Earthquake Relief in Turkey & Syria
Rapid disaster deployment following catastrophic earthquakes: Provided direct logistical and financial sponsorship for an orphanage in Aleppo under high-risk security constraints.
Frontline Rescue Operations in Ukraine
Continuous rescue convoys starting March 3, 2022. Successfully evacuated over 25,000 civilians to safety, transported 2,000 tons of medical and humanitarian cargo, and opened the Koblevo IDP shelter.
Interfaith Dialogue
Students of Gymnasium am Kurfürstendamm visited Kreuzberger Himmel as part of a joint project with Vincentino e.V. promoting interfaith understanding and tolerance.
Corona Relief: Food for the Homeless
During the lockdown, Be an Angel organized daily distributions of 900 meals to homeless people. In total, over 73,000 meals were prepared and delivered across Berlin.
Meet & Eat – Youth Encounter
Joint community platform and evening dialogue for youth and refugees at Kreuzberger Himmel fostering tolerance, overcoming prejudices, and encouraging active exchange.
Himmel8 (Ritter8)
Following successful renovation and conceptual refinement, the Himmel8 location was handed over with trust to a Syrian restaurateur.
Kreuzberger Himmel – Model for Integration
Opening and establishment of Kreuzberger Himmel as a benchmark project for successful labor market and social integration of refugees through gastronomy and apprenticeships.
Mission in Moria, Greece
Andreas Tölke spent 14 days on the ground in Moria with partners. Identified refugees with legal claims to family reunification: over 250 individuals were able to legally enter Germany.
Relief Convoy to Belgrade
Supplied 1,200 refugees surviving in derelict warehouses with daily hot meals, winter clothing, and insulated blankets. Funded an accredited language school for displaced youths.
Systemic Asylum Guidance & Support
Built a robust volunteer network cutting through bureaucratic hurdles: Assisted over 4,500 people with public authorities, registrations, and job placements, filing 800+ urgent appeals with the social court.
Founded during the European Refugee Crisis
Direct housing of refugees in private apartments; sheltered over 1,600 asylum seekers, rented 20 apartments in Berlin as main tenant, and arranged over 350 rooms and flats across Germany.
Our impact reports
All reports & documents
Our Team & Ambassadors
Dedicated figures from humanitarian relief, culture, enterprise, and civil society directing frontline missions and life-saving projects.
Association (Verein)
The board, field commanders, and project leads managing Be an Angel e.V. convoys, frontline logistics, and social programs.
Ulrike Lessig
Board and Advisory Council
Miriam Fassbender
Board and Evacuations
Dr. h.c. Andreas Tölke
Board of Directors
Anya Verkhovskaya
Management of "Friends of Be an Angel"
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Olena Pryzhebolska
Director
Vladyslav Yefremov
Board of Directors
Kathrin Ast
Project coordinator of Kreuzberger Himmel and Himmel Kantine
Sergiy Govorovskyy
Partnerships and Strategy
Zlata Zhuravlova
Curator
Bakri Kamurgi
Director of Kreuzberger Himmel
Alina Ó Riada
Consultation
Lavinia Reinke
Coordinator
Carla Welti
Board of Directors
Kim Welti
Project Coordinator
Partners
Organisations and people we carry out projects with.
Andrea Leenarts
Project coordination of art and culture
Julia Ishchuk
Technical consultant
Vanessa
Coordinator of volunteer evacuations
Anfisa Anufrieva
Curator - project "MIT EIGENEN AUGEN"
Marc Friedrich
Board of Directors, Ambulance for Kids
Ihor Chornyi
Board of Strong Because Free
Ambassadors (Botschaft)
Distinguished advocates from culture, architecture, business, and human rights bolstering our international impact.
Dr. Douglas Davis
Medical consultants
Wolfram Putz
Architecture and Reconstruction
Kateryna Chalaya
Curator of Arts – project "MIT EIGENEN AUGEN"
Frank Gerhardt
IT & Development
Nadine Barth
Art and culture
Dr. Ganna Yudkivska
Consultations and strategy of the USA
Sophia Schlette
Development and fundraising
Commitment to Transparency
As an official signatory of the Transparent Civil Society Initiative (ITZ), we pledge to maintain 10 foundational operational documents continuously updated and publicly accessible.
Name, Registered Office, Address & Year Founded
Be an Angel e.V., Yorckstraße 4-11, 10965 Berlin, Germany. Founded: 2007 (charitable association), restructured with frontline focus during the 2015 refugee crisis. Registered at the Charlottenburg District Court under VR 28072 B.
Full Constitution & Charitable Mission
Statutory Purpose: Providing humanitarian relief to individuals facing political, racial, or religious persecution, war victims, and refugees, alongside fostering international understanding, tolerance, and cultural diplomacy.
Tax Exemption & Charity Status
Tax Authority Berlin Körperschaften I, Tax ID: 27/661/63361. Official exemption notice from 14.10.2022 confirms tax-deductible charitable status under §§ 51 ff. AO. Donation receipts issued accordingly.
Board of Directors & Governance
Executive Board under § 26 German Civil Code (BGB): Dr. h.c. Andreas Tölke (Chairman) Ulrike Lessig (Vice Chairwoman) Thomas Humphrey (Board Member / Finance)
Activity Report & Impact Assessment
Exhaustive documentation of all evacuation journeys, convoy kilometers, emergency medical shipments, and integration milestones published annually. See our full Impact Report 2023 for detailed auditing.
Workforce & Operational Staffing
6 full-time equivalents (FTE), 3 part-time staff, 4 contracted logistical dispatchers in international hubs, 6 voluntary project leads, and over 80 active volunteer responders on ground zero.
Source & Allocation of Funds
Funded through private donations, independent foundations, government grant partners, and revenue from integration enterprises. Regular external financial audits.
Corporate Affiliations & Major Donors
Global network with sister entities: Friends of Be an Angel (USA), Be an Angel Schweiz, БО БФ «БІ ЕН ЕНЖЕЛ-УКРАЇНА» (UA). Official partnership agreements. Any donor providing over 10% of annual budget is disclosed by name in the annual statement.
“We warmly invite you to join our mission: as a committed supporter, an initiative with practical solutions, an enterprise partner, or a media ally. Let’s talk, then take action!”
What others say about us
Prof. Dr. Gesine Schwan, President of the Berlin Governance Platform, on Be an Angel
Moments from ten years
Partner organisations
- Refugee Center Kramatorsk
