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For donations under €300, tax offices usually accept a bank statement as proof. You also received a donation receipt with your confirmation email. You can request it again here by email. Be sure to use the same email address you used for your donation.

What is the 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar?

The 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar is a unique way to support a wide range of social and environmental projects worldwide. For example, one calendar door might protect 150 m² of Amazon rainforest in Brazil, provide a meal for a child in Nepal, or partially fund a holiday trip for a child in need in Germany. Your donation amount is flexible, starting at €1. Important! You donate this amount per project, meaning per calendar door. Starting from €24, you will receive the 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar as a thank you gift so you can see which specific projects you’re supporting.

How can I get or gift the calendar?

Via our donation form you can donate to the 24 projects at any time. As a thank you and to show you which aid projects you are supporting, we’ll send you the sustainable Advent calendar starting in October. Of course, you can also send the 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar as a gift to family, friends, or acquaintances. We’ll include a greeting card where you can write your personal Advent message. Prefer a digital version? No problem! Starting December 1st, we’ll send you the Advent calendar as a digital version via email, including the daily door and background info on the project. Here you can order the Advent calendar.

Is my donation tax-deductible?

Yes, your donation is tax-deductible. 24guteTaten e.V. is officially recognized as a non-profit organization by the Düsseldorf-South tax office. For donations under €300, tax offices generally accept a bank statement as proof. This is because they treat it as direct evidence of the transaction. You will receive a donation receipt by email shortly after making your donation.

Do 100 percent of the donations go to the projects?

75 percent of the donations collected through the Advent calendar go to charitable purposes, 25 percent to administration and marketing. After covering nonprofit expenses of 24guteTaten e.V., the remaining amount is evenly distributed among the 24 calendar projects.

How is it ensured that my donation arrives?

We take the monitoring of donation use very seriously. Each organization signs a contract that defines the implementation of the good deed. Additionally, aid organizations must document their project progress through detailed reports, receipts, and photos. Our organization is also committed to transparency . That’s why we report annually on our activities and disclose how we use our funds.

How can I apply with a project for a calendar door?

The projects featured in the 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar are selected anew each year. Applications usually open on December 6th of the previous year. Want to be notified when the next application round opens? Then sign up here for our NGO newsletter or submit your application directly. You'll also find everything you need to know about the application process there.

How can I learn more about the projects in the Advent calendar?

You’ll find detailed background info on each of the current projects daily from December 1st to 24th on our website. All previous projects are available in our calendar archive. Also, sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

How are the projects for the Advent calendar selected?

Each year, nonprofit organizations can apply for a calendar door. The selected projects must meet strict criteria. Our goal is to support particularly sustainable, impactful, and transparent projects. You can find details about our selection process here

Who is behind the 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar?

The 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar is an initiative by the nonprofit organization 24guteTaten e.V., founded in 2011. The organization is based in Düsseldorf.

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Tag 19

3 min. of therapeutic support for a woman in Ukraine

Finding new strength together

Mental health as the key to a new life

“As soon as I sing, my thoughts calm down and my body feels lighter. That's my medicine.” Iryna lives in a city in eastern Ukraine. Once a week, she sings together with other women. “It's my most important appointment. If I don't go, I miss the connection, the friendship—the feeling of not being alone.” She came to Pokrov after the war destroyed her home. At first, she felt lonely and restless, as if a heavy coat were weighing her down. Since Iryna started singing in the group, everyday life has become easier and she knows: I can do this. “We help each other – that gives me strength,” she says. Sometimes on her way home, she catches herself singing loudly: “The streets are endlessly empty, as if no one lives here – and I sing.” She would have been ashamed of that in the past. Today she thinks: That's how it should be. Life goes on.

Stefanie Stahl und Max Alberti präsentieren Dir ihr Lieblingsprojekt

Need

Psychosocial support and self-care services for women living in the war zone in eastern Ukraine

Activity

The local organization Svity Pokrov offers individual counseling and therapeutic group activities for affected women

Measurable output

Number of women participating in psychosocial counseling or therapeutic group activities

Result

The women are noticeably better off. They know how to reduce stress and anxiety and can cope with everyday life independently

System-relevant impact

There is widespread social awareness of the importance of mental health. Support services for women are now well established

Background

War is raging in Ukraine. The eastern areas near the conflict line, such as the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast region, are particularly affected. Attacks are hitting vital infrastructure such as electricity and water supplies, hospitals, and residential buildings. Many people have been forced to leave their homes, some even several times. According to the UNHCR, almost 10 million people have been forced to flee. 3.6 million have fled within the country (UNHCR 2025), often only a few kilometers further west. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast alone, there are at least 520,000 internally displaced persons – more than in any other region of Ukraine (Statista 2025). Since men are subject to compulsory military service, many women bear sole responsibility for everyday life. They have to provide for their families, secure income, find accommodation, and care for their children. This requires not only strength, but also inner stability. However, especially in times of war, mental health is completely ignored by most actors (Pinchuk & Pinchuk 2023). Under constant stress and fear, people are often less able to act. That is why psychosocial counseling and self-care services are crucial. They help women and children to find peace again and build a new life step by step.

The good deed

The good deed includes various forms of assistance that women can use as needed. They can talk to a psychologist about their concerns and process their experiences. If they are looking for accommodation, need a school for their children, or have to fill out forms, a social worker is there to help. In addition, there are group activities that strengthen the body and soul: art, singing, body-oriented trauma therapy, and self-confidence training. Through painting, singing, or movement, the women learn methods to reduce stress and anxiety. A psychologist accompanies the meetings and ensures that everyone feels comfortable. If anyone needs help, she is there. The social contacts within the group are particularly valuable. All the women have had similar experiences—the solidarity among them gives them strength, confidence, and new courage.

Ukraine

Kyiv

Capital city

37.860.221

Population

As of 2024

579.330

Land area in km²

1.7 times the size of Germany

Ukrainian

Official language(s)

As of 2025

Oleksandra Matwijtschuk is a world-renowned Ukrainian woman. She is committed to democracy and human rights and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. She is the chairwoman of the Center for Civil Liberties, an organization that documents war crimes and campaigns internationally for the rights of civilians.

About the organization and further information