About Dr. Yavuz Şahin
An insight into the life of Dr Yavuz Şahin and his motivation to help people in need and establish sustainable projects.
About Dr. Yavuz Şahin
An insight into the life of Dr Yavuz Şahin and his motivation to help people in need and establish sustainable projects.
About Dr. Yavuz Şahin
An insight into the life of Dr Yavuz Şahin and his motivation to help people in need and establish sustainable projects.
Dr Yavuz Şahin – FOUNDER OF THE ORGANISATION
Dr Yavuz Şahin
Specialist in internal and general medicine, studied medicine at the Universities of Regensburg, Würzburg, Bonn and Istanbul
My name is Dr Yavuz Şahin. As a doctor, I learnt how important it is to help other people. In 2020, I decided to turn this insight into a movement: Dr Sahin.help.
I was born in Turkey and came to Germany when I was four years old. I spent my primary and secondary school years in Cologne. I then studied medicine in Regensburg, Würzburg and Bonn. During my studies, I visited Africa for the first time in 1997, travelling through South Africa and Namibia. I was fascinated by the people and the country.
I then worked as a doctor at Regensburg University Hospital, at the Barmherzige Brüder hospital in surgery and paediatrics.
This was followed by four years as a medical officer in the German Armed Forces. During this time, I was deployed abroad twice – three months as part of the ISAF mission in Kabul (Afghanistan) and in the United Nations' UNAMI mission in Georgia. During these foreign assignments, I had intensive contact with the civilian population. I saw the misery and poverty of the people with my own eyes and realised how privileged we are in Germany. I realised that life had been good to us, and we had been incredibly fortunate to grow up in prosperity and peace.
After completing my military service, I took over a general practice in Regensburg before returning to Cologne eight years later and opening a general practice there in 2016.
My CV
1972
Born in Turkey and moved to Germany at the age of four. Catholic primary school in Cologne Merheim and Heinrich Heine Grammar School in Cologne Ostheim.
1992-1999
Studied medicine at the Universities of Regensburg, Würzburg, Bonn and Istanbul.
1997
First trip to Africa during medical school to South Africa and Namibia. Meeting the people there shaped my view of social responsibility and fascinated me.
German Armed Forces Service
Four years as a medical officer in the German Armed Forces with deployments in Kabul (ISAF) and Georgia (UNOMIG). Direct contact with the civilian population showed me how much small actions can achieve.
AFTER GRADUATION
Worked at Regensburg University Hospital and in surgery and paediatrics at the Barmherzige Brüder hospital.
AFTER THE GERMAN ARMED FORCES
Takeover of a general medical practice in Regensburg.
2016
Return to Cologne and opening of a general practice in Cologne's Neumarkt district.
2019
Initial thoughts on how I can expand my private aid efforts in a more structured and sustainable manner.
FEBRUARY 2020
Trip to Senegal – opening of my first own water well. The children's joy at having clean water touches me deeply. Here it becomes clear to me: I must do more.
July 2020
Trip to Tanzania – handover of collected donations and start of regular food distributions.
OCTOBER 2020
First joint trip to Africa with Marc Gebauer: Further well projects and close communication with village elders and families. An important insight gained from this trip: possessions alone do not bring happiness. True happiness comes from helping others with what you have.
2021
Establishment of Dr. Şahin help gGmbH – After lengthy, intensive discussions and deliberations with Marc Gebauer, among others, regarding the structure of the organisation. Donations can now be recorded and managed professionally, transparently and sustainably.
2022
Launch of numerous projects for orphanages and schools. I become particularly aware of how important it is to give children a home and access to education.
2023
Expansion of projects. Local aid initiatives are also emerging in Cologne (e.g. Kältebus Köln).
2024
More than 450 wells built, thousands of meals distributed, many orphans provided with school supplies and daily care.
TODAY
My goal remains unchanged: to reach even more people, give hope and enable children worldwide to have a better future. Helping others makes you happy, and every person deserves to live a life of dignity.
From personal happiness to shared light
What others say about Dr. Şahin
Marc Gebauer
There are people who not only convince others with their ideas, but also inspire them with their entire demeanour. For me, Dr. Şahin is definitely one of them. He thinks entrepreneurially in dimensions that go beyond pure business. What makes him so special to me is his sincerity and genuine closeness to the people he works with.
Our joint trips to Mecca and Africa are among the most memorable moments of my life. There, I was able to experience first-hand the dedication and sense of responsibility with which he commits himself to social projects. In everything he plans and implements, you can sense that he is never concerned with economic success, but rather with making a meaningful difference.
Dr. Şahin acts not out of a sense of duty, but out of conviction. His projects are well thought out, goal-oriented and always guided by a clear inner compass.
Despite all his successes, he has remained true to himself. He is modest, focused and full of compassion. I am proud to be able to support him with his projects.
Dr. Şahin has had a positive influence on my life in many ways. On a physical level, his holistic view of health has helped me enormously, especially with his supplements. Mentally, he has opened up new perspectives for me through our conversations and joint projects. And on a personal level, he is a real role model for me. Simply a person with principles, warmth and a clear set of values.
Helping others makes you happy (both the giver and the recipient). That is why I founded the non-profit organisation Dr. Şahin help.
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