Trade fair
REHACARE 2026
We're back in Düsseldorf — with new projects.
Not pity. Opportunities.
Together we break
the silence.
Break Silence e.V. gives a voice to people who are too often overlooked. We create visibility. We promote equal opportunities. We show potential instead of prejudice.
100%
non-profitDirect
no detoursDE
Düsseldorf
"Even someone in a wheelchair can move the world. Maybe not change everything — but start." — Hakan Tekkol
We'll be there
Meet us at REHACARE 2026
Break Silence e.V. has its own stand at the world's largest trade fair for rehabilitation and care. Come by, talk to us and join the movement.
- September 23–26, 2026
- Messe Düsseldorf
- Self-determined living — with us at the stand
Why Break Silence?
Barriers aren't only
on the street.
Every day, millions of people with disabilities face barriers — not just in daily life, but also in people's minds.
Break Silence makes stories visible, dismantles prejudice and shows what people can achieve when they get the same opportunities.
Visibility. Participation. Equal opportunity.
Our mission
Four paths to real change.
Voice
Give people a voice
We share the stories of people who are too often unheard — honest and direct.
Visibility
Create visibility
We put issues on stage that usually stay hidden.
Opportunities
Open doors
We open doors — in work, education and everyday life — where they usually stay closed.
International
Help internationally, long term
From association to movement to foundation — step by step, across borders.
Facts
Why our work
is so urgently needed.
Numbers make visible what everyday life often overlooks — in Germany and worldwide.
🇩🇪 In Germany
7.9 M
people with severe disabilities in Germany
Source: Federal Statistical Office, 2023
11.7%
unemployment rate for people with severe disabilities — nearly twice the average
Source: Federal Employment Agency, 2024
≈ 33%
of platforms in Germany are not yet accessible for wheelchair users and people with walking impairments
Source: DB InfraGO — derived from the figure that 67 % are accessible
44%
of people with disabilities have no vocational qualification (vs. 19% without disability)
Source: Aktion Mensch Inclusion Barometer
🌍 Worldwide
1.3 B
people worldwide live with a significant disability — 16% of the world's population
Source: WHO, 2023
10 years
shorter life expectancy for people with disabilities — often due to lack of access to health care
Source: WHO Global Report on Health Equity
80%
live in low- or middle-income countries — often without rights or protection
Source: UN / World Bank
2× more likely
people with disabilities are affected by poverty than the rest of the population
Source: UN DESA, 2022
These numbers aren't a statistic — they are millions of stories. Break Silence stands up for every single one.
Why Break Silence?
Born from personal experience.
Break Silence is more than a project. I know what it feels like to be overlooked. I know what it feels like to have no voice. That's exactly why Break Silence exists.
We give a voice to people who often aren't heard. We help where support is really needed — honestly, directly and without detours.
Our values
What we stand up for every day.
Opportunities, not pity
Together, not alone
Visibility, not prejudice
Diversity, not exclusion
Potential, not limitation
Current projects
Where we're making an impact now.
Concrete initiatives we're running right now — from interviews to trade fairs.
Interviews
Break Silence in conversation
Stories that inspire. People who give courage.
Learn more
We're there
REHACARE 2026
September 23–26 in Düsseldorf. Visit us at our stand at Europe's largest trade fair for rehabilitation and care.
Learn more
Movement
Mission Break Silence
New projects for more inclusion — regional, national, international.
Learn more
Action
Barrier-free challenge
Recognising barriers together and dismantling them step by step.
Learn more
Voices
What people say about us.
„Break Silence showed me that my story matters. For the first time I feel truly seen."
Gülsen i.
Interview series participant
Move something together
Your support makes the difference.
Every donation helps us run projects, make people visible and break down prejudice.
Our vision
Not just participate.
But lead.
Break Silence stands for a future in which people with disabilities are not only supported, but also start businesses, take responsibility, create jobs and achieve economic success.
From our association, a movement is to emerge step by step with concrete projects, barrier-free meeting places and inclusive workplaces. In the long term, legally independent social enterprises and a foundation can grow from this, creating new opportunities for people in Germany and worldwide.
Change begins when people with disabilities decide, shape and lead for themselves.
01
Association
02
Movement
03
Projects
04
Foundation
News
What's happening right now.
Interviews
New conversations
Fresh episodes of Break Silence in conversation.
Projects
New partnerships
More partners, more visibility, more opportunities.
Dates
Events 2026
Save the dates for upcoming actions.