Who this is
Serkan Eren grew up in the Black Forest, in a run-down tower-block neighbourhood of Villingen-Schwenningen. After catching up on school the long way round and working as a personal trainer, he survived a serious car crash with a near-death experience in 2009, which changed how he looked at life. In October 2015 he organised his first transport of donated goods to the border between North Macedonia and Greece. That grew into Stelp, an aid organisation from Stuttgart (the name combines Stuttgart and help) that works in crisis zones such as Ukraine, Afghanistan, Yemen and Lebanon. Serkan was named Stuttgarter of the Year 2022, made the 40 under 40 list and received Germany's Federal Cross of Merit.
Episodes
Numbers from the episode
FAQ
Why does Serkan Eren go on such dangerous missions?
Partly because that's where the impact is greatest: help in eastern Ukraine is worth many times more than at the Polish border. And partly because dramatic missions bring reach and therefore donations. Serkan calculates that a post from safe western Ukraine brings in 300 euros, one from eastern Ukraine 70,000 euros. He says he doesn't do it for the thrill. To the episode →
Quotes
„Für mich ist der schlimmste Satz in der NGO-Szene, und da werden mich ganz viele dafür hassen, ist so, wenn wir nur einem Menschen helfen, Dann haben wir so viel erreicht. Nein, Alter.““For me the worst sentence in the NGO scene, and a lot of people will hate me for this, is: if we help just one person, we've achieved so much. No, man.”
„Aber wir haben halt unzählige einzelne Welten gerettet.““But we have saved countless individual worlds.”
„… ein Krieg ist halt nicht graue Theorie so. Ein Krieg ist nicht Zahlen.““War isn't grey theory. War isn't numbers.”
„Ich glaube, ich werde nie wieder so 100% glücklich werden.““I don't think I'll ever be 100 percent happy again.”
„Aber die Chance, dich zu beweisen, die hat man dir geschenkt.““But the chance to prove yourself was a gift.”