Switzerland
Terre des hommes advocates for children and their rights. Our volunteers and employees organise campaigns to raise awareness of our work among the public and to collect donations. Many children are also transferred to Switzerland to be operated on as part of our medical missions. In addition, critically ill children from West African countries are being transferred to Switzerland for surgery.
Our projects in Switzerland
Advocacy
Terre des hommes advocates for the rights of all children living in Switzerland. Irrespective of their status or their papers, every child has the right to their own bed, warm clothing in winter, decent healthcare and to attend school. We focus our efforts on promoting the rights and protection of migrant children in areas where administrative detention persists, despite the fact that it could be avoided.
Specialised care
Tdh arranges for disadvantaged children to be transferred to Switzerland when they cannot be operated on in their own country. These children are often suffering from heart disease and are treated and operated on in one of our partner hospitals. Before and after their operation, these children are cared for at La Maison, a children’s care establishment in Massongex, before finally returning home. Each year, over 200 children are supervised, comforted and looked after by the professional teachers and medical staff at La Maison
Volunteer work
In Switzerland, Terre des hommes can count on the support of over 2000 volunteers in different cantons. They organise various events such as orange sales and sponsored walks to raise awareness of children’s rights and Tdh’s work among the public. These events are a much needed means of collecting donations for our projects in the field. Tdh has been extremely fortunate to have a wide base of volunteers from day one. They are one of the pillars of our foundation.
Key projects
Timeline
1960
Creation of Terre des hommes by Edmond Kaiser.
1962
First orange sale organised by Terre des hommes volunteers.
1966
The charter setting out the primary objectives and ethical principles of the foundation is drafted by Edmond Kaiser and adopted.
1970
'La Maison’ children’s home opens in Massongex, in the canton of Valais.
2003
A petition signed by 128,000 people is filed requesting the acknowledgement of the existence of organised crime against children in the Swiss Penal Code.
2016
Publication of a report on the administrative detention of migrant children in Switzerland.
2017
Launch of our Education programme, which sensitises children in Swiss schools to their rights.
2018
Publication of a second analysis on the administrative detention of migrant children.
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Our Values (not up to date)
