A word of the President

In a world shaken by social, political and economic crises, millions of children are suffering to an even greater degree. They are affected by hunger, insecurity, exploitation and the weight of poverty and repressive traditions. Nevertheless, their future is not necessarily a doomed one. Too often, it is simply that their families, communities and environment are not equipped to protect them. By providing them with concrete aid and solutions adapted to their situation, Terre des hommes is fighting every day on behalf of the most disadvantaged.

Protection and health form the cornerstone of our support for 1.47 million beneficiaries in 34 countries. The annual report describes the main results of this work – from Nicaragua and the Horn of Africa to Albania and Myanmar.

Our strength lies in the willingness, experience and energy of our colleagues, in their courage and that of the individuals who are active on the field working for Tdh or its partner associations. We also want to recognise the unwavering commitment of all the volunteers in Switzerland. We don’t take it as granted. The determined resolve of everyone involved is enabling the lives of children in the most difficult situations to be improved.

This commitment manifests itself in many different ways. For instance, here in Switzerland, our partner university hospitals in Geneva, Lausanne and now in Bern have reinforced their support by successfully operating on hundreds of girls and boys who would be considered incurable in their own countries. Yet, the highly specialised surgical treatment provided in this way makes up only one part of our community health programmes.

Thanks to you and your dedicated support, we are succeeding in improving the living conditions for the children of our world.

Beat Mumenthaler President of the Foundation Council