Who we are

Identity
The Swiss Organization Sagarmatha is a non-profit organization based in Switzerland.

Main objective
To ensure the long-term sustainability of the Children of Sagarmatha home in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Means of action :

• Sponsoring of children
• Humanitarian trips (to accomplish specific projects)
• Financial support of the local association that manages the center (Sagarmatha Asahaya Sewa Sangh) by means of fundraising in Switzerland.

Our values

Our association seeks to improve the living conditions of the children at the Sagarmatha home.

The values we hold dear are:
- Transparency of our activities
- Respect of the children being cared for by our project
- A long-term commitment

In collaboration with the team that manages the center, we make sure that the children are taken care of in the best possible way. We strive to provide them with dignified living conditions and an environment in which they will strengthen their ability to learn. Once their compulsory studies are finished, we offer them to continue their studies in college (two years before University).

History

In 2002 and at the request of Assistance Médicale Toit du Monde (France) and Francis Laune who was already involved in humanitarian work in Nepal, Phinzo and Beena Sherpa, a Nepalese couple living in Kathmandu took in some street children in their small apartment in Kathmandu. This was to mark the beginnings of the Children of Sagarmatha adventure.

Right from the beginning, the French association Assistance Médicale Toit du Monde financed the project. Later, a second association Sagarmatha Aide aux Défavorisés was established in France to help the project.

Here is a link to a movie about these first years :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMUNyTDQ3Dk&feature=youtu.be

In 2004, a building was purchased (with private funds) near Bodnath to take in more children.

Then in 2006, the first group of students from the Geneva International School visited the orphanage. Other further trips for students were organized (2008, 2011, 2013, 2014).

The Swiss Organization Sagarmatha was created on 12 December 2010 in Founex to find sponsors in Switzerland and to ensure the financial stability of the center over the years to come.

Phinzo and Beena Sherpa :

Committee members

• Sylvie Nahum (president)

• Nadine Barreiro

• Catherine Christ Revaz
• Cathy David-Raphoz

• Anne Kerisel
• Christine Krattinger Allaman

• Francis Laune

• Olivier Revaz
 

Would you like to find out more about their work and learn more about Sagarmatha ? Click here

Volunteering

If you have any skills that we could put to good use, we’d love to hear from you! Please contact us.

We have several volunteers helping us out. Our heartfelt thanks go to:

• Patricia Bellotto, account auditing
• Brigitte Caron
• Sonia Christ 
• createur.ch
• Deborah Berlinck
• Mike Gorsky
• Myriam Krebs
• Christophe Al Kurdi
• Marianne Naegeli, accounting
• Sévane Pirkl
• Andrea Plasschaert
• Béatrice Pothier

Budget

Sponsorships, various donations and fundraising done by the students of the International School are the only contributions that the Organisation Suisse Sagarmatha receives.

The budget of the center is approximately 65,000 CHF per year. Since 2014, the total amount of sponsorship (900 CHF per year), does not enable us to cover the costs of caring for one child: accommodation, school, food, support, etc. Rather than increase sponsorship fees, we have chosen to seek further funding to make up for the loss by seeking support, for example, from foundations.

The funds collected in Switzerland go entirely to the center. Our association does not deduct any administrative fees and 100% of the benefits go to the project.