OUR STORY
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
Wings of Hope International was founded in 1994 as a response to the deep human need to help those who have survived the worst horrors that one person can inflict upon another. The organization was founded by people who survived the Dachau concentration camp — people who experienced firsthand what it means to lose everything: dignity, freedom, family, and home.
Instead of remaining trapped in their own pain, these survivors chose to channel their experiences into selfless help for others. Their vision was simple yet powerful: that no one who survives trauma should be alone in the process of recovery, and that the pain of one generation can become the foundation for building a better future for the generations that follow.
FOUNDER
Pieter Dietz de Loos, visionary and humanitarian, was the driving force behind the founding of Wings of Hope. His life journey was marked by a deep understanding of human suffering and an unshakeable belief in people’s ability to recover from the most difficult experiences. Under his leadership, the organization grew from a small initiative into an international support network that has reached thousands of lives around the world.
De Loos believed that psychological support is not a luxury, but a basic human right. This philosophy is the cornerstone of every program that Wings of Hope has launched, from the very first day to the present.
Butterflies Have a Short Life
The name “Wings of Hope” — Krila nade — originates from a drawing by a young girl who was expelled from her hometown during the war. In that drawing she depicted a butterfly, with words that deeply moved those who read them: “Butterflies have a short life, but they are still beautiful.”
This simple children’s wisdom became a symbol for the entire organization. Like a butterfly, hope can be fragile and fleeting, but its beauty and strength can transform lives. The butterfly’s wing became a metaphor for the resilience of the human spirit — the ability to take flight again even after the deepest falls.
The girl’s drawing inspired the founders despite everything they had been through, carrying within themselves an indestructible ability to see beauty in the world. It is precisely this ability that Wings of Hope strives to preserve and nurture in every child, every woman, and every person who turns to them for help.
