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Background
For
over 40 years, Enfants
du Monde has been managing sustainable development projects in several southern countries, in partnership with local associations. Enfants du Monde programs main focus is on education and health.
It all began in 1968... Federal Councillor Paul Chaudet founded the Commission
Nationale Suisse de l'Union Internationale de Protection de l'Enfance
(Swiss National Commission of the International Union for the Protection
of Children), also known as "Enfants du Monde". The aim was to finance
projects education projects in disavantged countries of the South. In 1983,
Enfants du Monde becomes an independent organisation
for mutual assistance.
"Today, Enfants du Monde is a specialided association, with light yet highly professional structures", says the Secretary General, Carlo Santarelli. "We work closely with local organisations, Ministries, Universities, the World Health Organisation and relevant networks in order to guarantee a high level of quality and sustainability in our projects." (Read the interview.)
From
1998 to 2008, Enfants
du Monde has also developed a project in Switzerland in order to strengthen
solidarity with disadvantaged countries. Young people were reached through
awareness raising activities about development aid and support
of disadvantaged childhood. In 2009, Enfants du Monde transformed its
project of raising awareness into a "citizen education" programme
or rather “the position a young person can take up on a local or international
question as a citizen”.
 
Key dates of Enfants
du Monde's history
| 1968 |
Enfants du Monde is founded by the Federal Councillor
Paul Chaudet |
| 1970 |
EdM becomes member of the Geneva Foundation for Development and
Cooperation |
| 1971 |
EdM is supported by the Confederation, several cantons and communes
and 1100 members |
| 1983 |
EdM becomes a independent humanitarian organization |
| 1988 |
EdM decides to limit her geographical and intervention sectors and
to put into place coordination offices on the field |
| Since 1993 |
EdM replaces its expatriates by local specialists |
| 1998 |
EdM puts into place the "youth project" offering activities to Swiss
children and teenagers |
| 2005 |
EdM obtains a contribution from the Swiss Agency for Development
and Cooperation (for the years 2005 to 2008) |
| 2006 |
Integration of the Institute for the Development and the Education
of Adults |
| 2008 |
EdM celebrates her 40th anniversary |
| 2009 |
EdM obtains a contribution from the Swiss Agency for Development
and Cooperation (for the years 2009 to 2012) |
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