Annual report 2011

Sagarmatha

Swiss organization

Because every child deserves a future

Board members (as of 20.03.2012)

Sylvie Nahum, President Olivier Revaz, projects and missions co-manager Francis Laune, projects and missions co-manager Catherine Christ Revaz, administration and communication Nadine Barreiro, fundraising manager at the International School of Geneva (La Chtaigneraie)

Accounts
Marianne Naegeli, treasurer Patricia Bellotto, accounts checker

Acknowledgements
Alexandra Bart Florence and Philippe Kehrer Anne Kerisel Yves Luthi Philippe and Carinne Musset Andrea Plasschaert Marsha Staubli

2011 report
Layout : Andrea Plasschaert Editors : Anne Kerisel and Catherine Christ Revaz Proofreading : Sylvie Nahum, Olivier Revaz and Francis Laune

Contacts
Sylvie Nahum President of the Sagarmatha Swiss branch Chemin des Ctes 26 1297 Founex Tl : 079 219 42 84 sylvie.nahum@gmail.com Olivier and Catherine Revaz Board members Grand Rue 23 1267 Vich T : 022 364 03 94 olivier.revaz@ecolint.ch or : corevaz@vtxnet.ch

Letter from the President

Dear friends, Here is the first annual report of the Swiss organization Sagarmatha, which gives an overview of its activities in 2011. Our main goal is to promote and protect the existence of the orphanage Sagarmatha in Kathmandu (Nepal). This welcome centre provides shelter and education for more than 50 children and teenagers who come from families in a difficult situation. After several field visits made by students from the International School of Geneva (La Chtaigneraie Campus) it was decided to set up a Swiss branch for the organization, in order to provide support to the orphanage. Our General Assembly took place on 12th December 2010. Our financial support and our involvement complement the activities of 2 other organizations involved in Nepal: Association Mdecins Toit du Monde and Sagarmatha Aide aux Dfavoriss (the latest being the one which set up the orphanage.) This year, a visit from the students from the International School in Kathmandu was organized for the third time (please see www. sassnepal.org.np for the report). That visit increased their awareness of living conditions much harsher than the ones in Switzerland. This mission was the most successful one, by far. Once in the orphanage, a lot of students worked to improve the lives of the children, and back in their country they continue to maintain and develop fund raising activities. A big thank you to all of them. There will be numerous challenges in 2012 : building an extension to the existing structure, with a new kitchen and refectory in the basement, along with new dorms on the first floor, preparing the new mission of April 2013, setting up a website for the Swiss branch, etc. Id like to thank all the people who helped us in 2011 : the students parents, our donors, our volunteers I hope that next year many of you will keep helping the children of Sagarmatha! Sylvie Nahum, President

Swiss organization Sagarmatha Annual report 2011

2011 at a glance

The Children of Sagarmatha orphanage

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. The life expectancy is 62 years for men and 63 for women, which is below the world average rate. According to UNICEF, the mortality rate for children under 5 years old was 50 % in 2010, with about one million orphans (3,4 % of the Nepalese population), and the figure is constantly increasing. Children of Sagarmatha is an orphanage set up in October 2002 in Kathmandu. The goal is to provide care and support for children who went through challenging times (abandoned children living in the streets or in womens prisons, victims of traffic, prostitution, violence, etc.) The orphanage provides them with a stable surrounding which resembles family life, and with a comprehensive school education. In this orphanage, children can live a well-balanced life, have a future and later become actors of change in their own country. There are 52 children, aged from 5 to 18 years, currently living in the orphanage. They are fed, housed, taken care of and taught inside the same infrastructure. The orphanage operates under the supervision of a local NGO named SASS (Sagarmatha Asahaya Sewa Sangh), that manages all matters related to the orphanage. Since 2005, the International School of Geneva (La Chtaigneraie campus) has been providing support to the orphanage. In December 2010, the Swiss branch of the organization Sagarmatha set up a partnership with the orphanage.

Children who joined the orphanage Children of Sagarmatha come from all castes and all regions in Nepal. They all led a difficult life, having to look every day for means of support, until they had the chance to be taken in by Children of Sagarmatha. The orphanage is actually more a real family than a welcome centre. Children consider the director Phinzo and his wife (and co-director) Beena as their surrogate parents, and all the people living in the place have nicknames like Brother, Uncle, Sister, etc.

Partnerships
The political crisis which has been raging in Nepal led to many deaths in the remote areas of the country. That situation increased the need for care for orphans who had no means of support. As a result, the orphanage Children of Sagarmatha is trying to set up financial partnerships to continue its activities and give these children a real future. These partnerships are expected to cover the daily costs of this large family made of 55 people. Several

Children from the orphanage with students from the International School of Geneva in April 2011.

Swiss organization Sagarmatha Annual report 2011

2011 at a glance

different projects have been submitted to private funding, such as sponsoring children, financing construction work to extend the existing facilities, paying for the adjustment of the kitchen and the refectory to meet hygiene regulations, etc.

Children sponsorship
Sponsoring a child has a huge impact on his/ her life. With 60 euros per month donated by his or her godfather/godmother, the child can live in the orphanage in good conditions and follow a comprehensive cycle of studies until the end of high school. The sponsor is committed to sending 60 euros to the organisation on a monthly basis, along, if possible, with a letter. In turn, Sagarmatha sends a report with mails and pictures which keep him/her informed about the progress made by the child. A monthly direct debit option is offered to make the management of both the sponsors and the orphanages resources easier. Today, less than 10 children are sponsored via the Swiss branch of Sagarmatha. As sponsorships are supposed to cover almost 50% of the orphanages financial resources, there is a crucial need for more of them. In 2011, several children left the orphanage after completing their high school education, and new children will be taken in to replace them. However, due to the economic crisis, attracting new sponsors bas been increasingly difficult. The Swiss organization is trying to do its best to promote the orphanages activities, especially through the International School of Geneva (La Chtaigneraie campus) and its humanitarian travels. Each field mission reminds us of the vital importance of the support, both financial and emotional, provided by sponsorships.

Students from the International School of Geneva paint the front door of the orphanage during the assessment mission in avril 2011.

Assessment mission : April 2011

Following the partnership established between the International School of Geneva and the orphanage, an assessment mission was organized in Kathmandu in April. The goal was for some Ecolint students to be involved in a humanitarian activity. 28 students and 4 teachers spent 12 days in the orphanage, from the 8th to the 20th of April, met the children, spent some time together, evaluated their needs and also helped them to prepare the start of their new school year. The preparation of the mission was led by the students themselves, under the supervision of their teacher Olivier Revaz. During the school year 2010-2011, fundraising events like the Bike The Lake race were set up along with regular information meetings. These efforts enabled the students to collect US $ 18000 and to prepare their mission in the best way. One of their goals was to bring school stationary (bags, pens, notebooks and school books) to the children who lack basic school material, and to manage the costs of the next school year. The students also brought 10 computers in order to provide children with an

Swiss organization Sagarmatha Annual report 2011

2011 at a glance

The projects were important, and the links established between children from the western and the eastern part of the world remain unforgettable.

access to technology to increase their knowledge via Internet. 5 PCs were donated to the children of the orphanage, 5 others were brought to a school in Solukhumbu, a remote and very poor area of Nepal. The childrens other needs (such as shoes, clothes, vitamins and medication, private racks) were also taken care of. Francis Laune, President of the French branch (Sagarmatha Aide aux Dfavoriss), organized the students daily activities once they arrived in the orphanage. Several other projects were also offered to the students, on a volunteer basis. The number of projects shows how deep the students felt concerned about the children. All of the students asked to be involved as much as possible into the life of the orphanage, by undertaking tasks like painting the doors, the corridors and the stairs of the house, repairing the basket panel or buying some washing products, setting up drawing, music and games classes, buying a new TV set and organizing a big farewell party with the children. All these activities created a strong relationship between them all, and the children of the orphanage named the students after their own family by calling them big brother or big sister . All the children spent some very exciting days together. The projects were important, and the links established between children from the western and the eastern part of the world remain unforgettable. This mission gave them

the opportunity to share strong and loving moments together, where the mere presence of everyone was a reason for smiling, for crying also when it was time to leave, and above all for having fun and being happy together. More information is available on the website of the SASS Nepal organization : http://www.sassnepal.org.np.

The assessment mission in April 2011 gave the students and children the opportunity to share strong and loving moments together.

Swiss organization Sagarmatha Annual report 2011

Accounts 2011

Bilan au 31 dcembre 2011

Actif Actif circulant Caisse PostFinance 12-648345-6 Total de lactif circulant Actif immobilis Actif immobilis Total de lactif immobilis Total de lactif Passif Fonds trangers Passif transitoire Total des fonds trangers Fonds propres Capital Total des fonds propres Total du passif 3990.34 3990.34 3990.34 0 0 0 0 3990.34 0 3990.34 3990.34 CHF

Comptes de profits et pertes de lexercice 2011

Produits Ventes (t-shirts et repas dahl) Dons Parrainages Cotisations Produits financiers Total des produits Aides et charges Missions Npal Frais Postfinance Total des charges Bnfice de lexercice 0 9.8 9.8 3900.14 CHF 100 2350 1448.69 100 1.45 3900.14

Le bnfice de lexercice est report lan 2012

Swiss organization Sagarmatha Annual report 2011

Accounts 2011

Swiss organization Sagarmatha Annual report 2011

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to the sponsors and to the people who provided support to our activities throughout 2011 Thanks to the Marianne Naegeli trust company for her accounting work ex gratia Thanks to Patricia Bellotto and her team for their precious support Thanks to the Coppet pharmacy, to Pierre Olsson, Elisabeth Bindschaedler and to Docteur Naidu for their donations of medication to children Thanks to the parents of the students from the International School of Geneva ( La Chtaigneraie campus) who allowed their children to participate in the 2011 mission and offered their financial support. We constantly attempt to be worthy of their trust Thanks to the students involved before, during and after the 2011 mission Thanks to the International School of Geneva management for their unfailing support, and special thanks to Nicholas Tate Thanks to the teachers of La Chtaigneraie who supported the 2011 mission , especially to Jill Robinson, Charles Clerc and Jan Dijkstra

Thanks to the information technology department of the International School of Geneva for donating computers to the children Thanks to the junior pupils who donated gifts, like cuddly toys, for the orphans Thanks to Mrs. Palmer and the Vermilye family for their gifts and support during the preparation of the mission Thanks to Mrs. Connerton for providing help in printing tee-shirts Thanks to all the sponsors of the Bike The Lake race, to Raj Dhakhwa and Jon Bastow Thanks to AMTM, Assistance Mdicale Toit du Monde, for providing humanitarian equipment Thanks to Luzia Dutruy and her family in Luins, thanks to Vronique Rosset, shop Tournesol in Rolle, for their precious help and support A big thanks to NOVAE, the kitchen team at the Campus de la Chtaigneraie, for Valentines day Thanks to our private donors from past missions, they will recognize themselves!

Swiss organization Sagarmatha Annual report 2011

A big thank you to all the people who helped us in 2011.

Chhoti, 7 years old

Sagarmatha

Swiss organization

Because every child deserves a future