Colombia: Third phase of the San Gabriel School expansion
The Limmat Foundation has supported the San Gabriel School of the Fundesia Foundation since 2005. The school lies on the outskirts of Cali, facing a steep hill that serves as the first place of asylum for many internally displaced persons. In 2006, the school instructed its first students in an old building, in 6 classrooms. But the space was not big enough for all the school-age children. In a second stage of the project, from 2007-2008, an earthquake-proof addition including 4 classrooms, a multi-purpose hall, a kitchen, an administrative tract, and sanitary facilities was built.
The 240 students at San Gabriel can now stay at there for secondary school as well. Up to 40 youth can attend vocational courses in a training kitchen that was also part of this expansion.
A third phase a wholly new school building with 12 real schoolrooms has been built. And so now it is possible for 450 children from the slum to attend pre-, elementary and high school at San Gabriel. The school also offers vocational training courses to 40 youth so they can find work as bakery assistants. more
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Wed, 06.10.2010
François Geinoz, Limmat Foundation Executive Director, elected to the ProFonds Board of Directors
ProFonds is the umbrella organization for charitable institutions in Switzerland. It offers these organizations a platform for knowledge and experience exchange. It represents their interests in politics and with public authorities to ensure that the framework conditions established through civil, regulatory and tax law enable the philanthropic community to effectively carry out their duties. As a French-speaking Swiss, he hopes in particular to work for the foundations of western Switzerland. François Geinoz has regularly participated in all the seminars of the organization for the past twenty years, and represented it in Paris on February 12, 2010, at the Symposium „Le mécénat et les fondations culturelles en France et en Suisse“. More information about proFonds.
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Fri, 04.06.2010
New Subfoundation and projects in Mali
A new subfoundation was founded under the umbrella of the Limmat Foundation this past March. It is called the Boreal Foundation, and its purpose is to improve the living conditions of the people in Africa and South America through educational and health projects. It was able to begin its activities as early as May: the furnishing of an orphanage in Timbuktu, Mali. Working together with the Yirimadio-Swiss Association, which has been conducting aid projects in Mali for the past five years, the delivery consisted of medical equipment, beds, mattresses, tarpaulins, tools, work clothes, etc. The supplies came from a donation of discharged equipment from the Swiss Federal Department for Defense, Civil Defense and Sport. Mali is one of the poorest countries. The UN Human Development Index has recently moved this West African country from 178th to 182nd place. The Limmat Foundation is planning further development cooperation projects in Mali.
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Tue, 01.06.2010
Fifteen years of the Esmeralda Charity Cup
In the past 14 years, 7,300 men and women golfers have supported 29 projects for the street children of Colombia. 7,165 children and young people have been permanently steered away from the streets. The 15th Esmeralda Charity Cup 2010 started on May 8 at the G&CC Maison Blanche(picture). With the Esmeralda Charity Cup, the Limmat Foundation has raised CHF 1,240,300 over the past fourteen years. One hundred percent of the proceeds support two projects a year for the street children of Colombia. Over the years, a total of 7,300 men and women golfers have participated in the tournaments. They are eager on the one hand to support the tournament projects; on the other, to enjoy the fun and the friendly competition of this charity event. All 29 of the Esmeralda Charity Cup projects are sustainable. They continue without additional foreign financing. The following list is impressive in that many of the projects have been implemented and are sustainably effective.
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Tue, 01.06.2010
Colombian Golfers support Limmat Foundation Projects
In Colombia, winter is also Esmeralda Charity Cup season. Two tournaments were played in the middle of February. This is the 14th time men and women golfers gathered to compete in Cartagena. Due to the effects of El Niño, the ground was extremely dry. The photo shows the three oldest golfers in the competition. The Limmat Foundation’s long-standing partner Actuar Pro Bolivar organized this annual event. The proceeds of the competition --CHF 9,000--will benefit this foundation. The money will fund the care center for children “Centro Madres Comunitarias.” The second Esmeralda Charity Cup tournament was played near Bogotá, at the exclusive golf resort Payandé in Villeta (Cundinamarca). 92 golfers gathered in the heat to support vocational training for teenage mothers, a project of the Fundacion Juan Felipe Gomez Escobar that is supported by the Limmat Foundation. The tournament raised CHF 15,500 for this goal.
By raising this money, the golfers one the one hand made a concrete contribution to the fight against poverty in their homeland. Beyond this, the Esmeralda Charity Cup also strengthens the solidarity and the sense of responsibility of the Colombian people.
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Thu, 25.02.2010
Focus on Africa
At the beginning of 2010, a delegation from the Limmat Foundation travelled to Kenya and the D.R. Congo to review the work of some of their African project partners. In recent years, the Limmat Foundation has supported and is supporting educational projects of the Kianda Foundation and Strathmore University in Kenya and humanitarian aid projects of the Missionaries of Charity and the Monkole Hospital in Congo.
The Kianda Foundation and Strathmore University were impressive for their high standard and their evident successes. For example, Strathmore has transformed itself from a local accountancy school to a university specialized for economics and information technology with international impact. Its professional education is of the highest level, many of its graduates now hold responsible positions within Kenyan economic institutions. But its men and women students do not just use their knowledge to further their own careers. They also participate in the numerous social projects initiated by the university. Some of these projects, such as a program for street children and a program assisting small business start-ups, were showcased to the Swiss visitors. At this time, the university is constructing two large buildings and is planning a philosophy department to add to its numerous offerings.
The Kianda Foundation has also been focusing on education for almost 50 years, thereby improving the lives of thousands of Kenyan women. Their primary and secondary school for girls is one of the top 5 in the country. Kianda started out as a secretarial school, adding over time a hospitality college, numerous nurseries for children of mothers working on the tea plantations, a small hospital and a conference center. Also worthy of note is a program that draws women students from all over the world to participate in social service projects.
The Monkole Hospital is a major project and was a natural stop in the itinerary for the D.R. Congo. For years the Limmat Foundation has supported this hospital in a country plagued by war, corruption and social upheaval. Other development cooperation projects have sprung up around Monkole , among them a training center for nurses, a training course in hygiene for other hospitals, a hospitality management school and an agricultural project, as well as three outposts for outpatient medical care on the outskirts of Kinshasa and a course of job-oriented training for women with rudimentary primary education.
The Missionaries of Charity, better known as Mother Teresa’s Order, selflessly care for outcast children and AIDS victims. With this service to the poorest of the poor, they provide a country such as the D.R. Congo with vital assistance for people who have virtually no possibility of surviving on their own strength.
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Wed, 20.01.2010
2009 Award-winning Small Business Woman of the Year
On November 20, 2009, Doña Flora was chosen as the Micro Entrepreneur of the Year of San Vicente de Cañete in Peru. Her know-how in managing a small company comes from an educational project initiated by the Limmat Foundation, together with its local partner, Condoray.
This contest was initiated by Center for the Professional Formation of Women, CEFEM, an educational center for small businesswomen that is part of the Centro de Formación Profesional para la Mujer(Condoray). Since its founding, this center has trained 2,000 women in the arts of food preparation, textile processing and business management. The first prize of 4,000 soles (approx. CHF 1,400) for Small Business Management is awarded to the candidate who makes best use of her education, mentoring and microcredit in operating her start-up. Thirty-five women entered the competition. The panel of judges - seven professionals from Peru, Colombia and Switzerland - had the difficult task of choosing the winner from among the 10 finalists. The jury inspected each of the small enterprises and assessed it according to various criteria. First prize for 2009 finally went to the excursion restaurant “Flora – Bodega Campestre.”
The prizewinner had already been operating a kiosk selling small snacks in a relatively sparsely populated area. To make this business more attractive and more profitable, she decided to pursue professional development at CEFEM. She afterwards applied for microcredit that was conditional upon a complete analysis of her business plan and advice for the project. The kiosk grew into a congenial, well-managed excursion restaurant where Doña Flora entertains day-trippers, wedding parties and holds other large events. She now has five full-time employees.
Of the 10 entrepreneurs who made it into the finals with Doña Flora, four received prizes of 2,000 soles (approx. CHF 700) in the categories of Job Creation, Marketing, Sales Volume and Legalizing an Informal Enterprise.
In addition to many CEFEM graduates, former Minister of Production and now current Minister of Defense Rafael Rey, Limmat Foundation project director Juan J. Alarcon and other prominent Peruvian entrepreneurs were present at the awards ceremony.
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Fri, 08.01.2010
Final and Guest Tournament of the XIV. Esmeralda Charity Cup
In its 14th year, the Esmeralde Charity Cup has never been so appreciated. A record number of players participated in the final tournaments. Perfect sunshine and a very pleasant temperature contributed to wonderful support for the two selected projects of the Limmat endowment for Street Children in Colombia.
As in previous years, there were two parallel tournaments: 40 qualified finalists played “Four Ball Better Ball“; 75 guests played in the Single Stableford point system tournament.
With 45 net points, Urs and Philippe Haussener won first prize. These winners receive a trip to Columbia to visit representative projects of the Limmat Foundation and the right to participate in a Charity Golf tournament in Cartagena.
Our generous Sponsors also richly rewarded other rankings and special prize categories (from both tournaments).
New on the Patronage Committee: Gabi Huber, National Councilor FDP. The Liberals
Gabi Huber is a national councilor and leader of the “FDP. The Liberals”-Fraction (the Free Democratic Party of Switzerland) in the Swiss federal council. Before this she was the first woman in her home canton of Uri to be a member of the cantonal parliament and president of the cantonal executive committee.
The main foci of this Swiss parliamentarian are economics and transportation. Since 2003 she has been a member of the judiciary committee, of which she is currently president. A lawyer with a Ph.D. in law, she has her own legal and notary practice in Altdorf. She has received significant media attention as the “tunnel godmother” of the NEAT project to put a transalpine railroad through the St. Gotthard Pass.
Gabi Huber joined the patronage committee of the Limmat Foundation in July of 2009 because for her, “commitment to the poor is a foundational Christian value,” and the work of the Limmat Foundation strives “first of all to help people help themselves.”
We are delighted that such a convincing personality can be excited about the work of the Limmat Foundation and will leverage her reputation for the support of the beneficiaries of our work.
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Mon, 14.09.2009
Two subfoundation creations, and one dissolution
As an umbrella foundation, the Limmat Foundation specializes in the formation and management of what we call subfoundations. That is, donors can delegate all the problems of incorporation to us by creating their own foundation as a subfoundation of the Limmat. This unleashes a synergy that leads to lower management costs (see the Murillo Subfoundation example below) and collaboration with the subfoundation board, which is ultimately responsible for the choice of projects. In July, the Limmat Foundation was pleased to newly incorporate two such subfoundations: the Constance Subfoundation and the Roma Subfoundation.
Constance will support educational projects for needy persons, financially supporting among others the schools of the religious order Hijas de Santa María del Corazón de Jesús (Daughters of Saint Mary of the Heart of Jesus) in Peru.
The monies of the Roma Subfoundation flow into projects for needy children in developing countries, especially in the area of education.
The Murillo Subfoundation was dissolved in May of 2009, since it had attained its goal and its funds were exhausted. Murillo was incorporated in 2003. Thanks to interest on capital, only 1.2 percent of the original donation was used for administrative expenses. 98.8 percent of the foundation capital flowed directly into development cooperation. It supported projects in Peru and Germany. Thanks to Murillo,the Center for the Professional Formation of Women, CEFEM in the Peruvian city of Cañete was able to complete vocational education programs and establish credit for their micro-enterprises. Murillo also supported the reconstruction of 60 houses destroyed by the earthquake, of 2007 in Peru. This project is not yet completed.
In Germany, funds from Murillo were used to support on the one hand the St. Katharina Hospice for the terminally ill in Frankfurt and on the other hand a scholarship fund for doctors at the Offenbach Clinic.
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Mon, 14.09.2009
Inauguration of the surgical outpatient clinic at the Monkole Hospital
The surgical outpatient clinic expands the Monkole Hospital, established in the 1990s in the Mont-Ngafula district of Kinshasa, DR Congo. The new surgical ward was dedicated in the spring of 2009. It includes an operating suite, an outpatient polyclinic, four consultation rooms, five nurses’ stations, an apothecary and a waiting room. It will predominantly treat malaria, AIDS and tuberculosis patients. While the addition of 150 new beds to the Mère et Enfant Clinic is underway, this new tract can surgically treat young children as well as pregnant and post-partum women.
This expansion cost EUR 697,000, 74% of which was paid for by development funding from the German and Dutch governments and by the Spanish city of Murcia. The Limmat Foundation made of contribution of EUR 74,000 to the effort.
After the Peruvian earthquake in the Summer 07, the Limmat Foundation responded immediately with financial emergency relief for the victims. Responsible for reconstruction is the “Centro de formación profesional para la mujer” (Condoray) from San Vicente de Cañete a partner organisation of the Limmat Foundation. The first new houses are currently being finished for homeless families. The project manager of the Limmat Foundation Juan J. Alarcon, examined the brick shells of the first six houses in February, 2009. They will hand over at the end of March to the owners. By the end of 2009, all the remaining 46 houses should be finished. more
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Tue, 24.03.2009
Ueli Mauer becomes a member of the Swiss Federal Council (Bundesrat)
Ueli Maurer, member of the patronage committee of the Limmat Foundation, was elected on the 10th December, 2008 by the Swiss Congress as a new Swiss Federal Councillor. As a member of the patronage committee for almost 9 years, Mr. Maurer has supported - with conviction - the various projects of the foundation.
At the yearly meetings with the CEO of the Limmat Foundation, he has always shown concern to the needs of people in developing countries and he has been interested at improving their standard of living through effective training projects. The Foundation Board and the management would like to congratulate Councillor Maurer for his election and warmly wishes him all the best in this important charge.
On 23 December 2008 Mr. Maurer left the patronage committee after being elected by the United Federal Assembly as a member of the Federal Council.
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Wed, 10.12.2008
XIII. Esmeralda Charity Cup 2008
Also this year the Esmeralda Charity Cup supports street children in Colombia. 2008 there were five qualification tournaments. They were hold at various courses in Switzerland and Germany as Maison Blanche, Schloss Langenstein, Bonmot, Steisslingen and Matterhorn.
There were 90 golfers at the final tournament that has taken place on 1st october 2008 in GC Heidental.
The finalists played a 4 ball better ball competition, while the guests played a single stableford competition.
Two new members of the Patronage Committee of the Limmat Foundation
Jeroo Billiamoria has already founded many Social Enterprises with an international influence. In her homeland of India, where she looked after street children, she established the CHILDLINE, a 24-hour telephone help-line where children in-need can receive immediate and uncomplicated help. Her concept was so convincingly effective, that similar organizations have been formed in 150 countries. With the help of the Limmat Foundation, Child Helpline was implemented in 5 cities in Columbia. Children can reach of network of professionals, trained to provide help for a wide variety of needs.
After her move to Amsterdam, Mrs. Billimoria initiated Aflatoun, a project for underprivileged children providing experience and know-how on handling money. The Limmat Foundation provided a Aflatoun project with preliminary 6000 CHF endowment.
Jeroo Billimoria is pleased to belong to the patronage committee of the Limmat Foundation and bases her decision with the fact that she can fully support the aims and work of the Limmat Foundation. “Our aims are to a great extent the same, namely building bridges between the north and the south to educate instructors and thereby allow (poor) people to help themselves – in my case foremost are children.”
J. Gregory Dees represents the view that humanitarian projects and organisations must be organized using modern techniques and a professional spirit of enterprise. He is an entrepreneur-savvy professor for the “Practice of Social and Non-profit management” (social enterprise and Non-profit management) at Duke University and John Hopkins University. He previously taught at the prestigious Harvard and Yale Universities. Dees’ field of research is the interaction between ethics and economy. In this connection, philanthropy must be more than just the financial support of destitute.
Social projects he defined “as mobilizing and deploying private resources, including money, time, social capital, and expertise, to improve the world in which we live. Thus, we can define philanthropic entrepreneurship as the productive efforts of an individual, team, or organization that reform or revolutionize the patterns by which private resources and relationships are mobilized and deployed to effect social change.”
His engagement in the Patronage Committee of the Limmat Foundation began for Professor Dees in 1997, “the Limmat Foundation brought me to Zurich to speak about social entrepreneurship. Since that first encounter, I have followed the foundation’s work with great interest and have been deeply impressed by the creativity, thoughtfulness, and diligence with which Limmat approaches its philanthropy. I am sure that I will learn a great deal from serving on the Patronage Committee."
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Sun, 28.09.2008
The Karl-Lukas-Honegger-Platz in Herrliberg is officially dedicated
The painter and sculptor Karl Lukas Honegger (1902-2003) was posthumously honored by having a square in his hometown of Herrlibreg named after him. The Karl-Lukas-Honegger Square was officially dedicated on Thursday, 18th of September, 2008.
Rolf Jenny, the mayor of Herrliberg, and Paul von Arx, president of the Friends’ Association Karl Lukas Honegger, paid tribute to the artist, whose memory and wide-ranging work are being held in trust as a subfoundation of the Limmat. Around 80 guests, including former member of the Swiss federal council and Herrliberg resident Christoph Blocher, attended the unveiling of the sign “Karl-Lukas-Honegger-Platz” and the sculpture “Girl picking flowers” which stands close by. A class of the secondary school in Rapperswil provided music for the ceremony.
The area around the Kittenmühle (where Honegger founded his studio in 1971) above Herrliberg is a popular destination for strollers. Many of them walked along the gardens of the ergonomic building in those times and admired the sculptures of the residence of painter and sculptor Karl Lukas Honegger.
This location is now officially dedicated to the Zurich artist. On the first floor of the nearby Restaurant Kittenmühle - is a room which had already been given the name “Honegger”.
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Thu, 18.09.2008
CEPPHY: Hygiene – an efficient prevention measure
The CEPPHY Program in Monkole, Kinshasa, the capital city of the D.R. Congo, aims to improve hospital hygiene, as well cleanliness in everyday life in this city. This program was launched in September 2008. more
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Mon, 15.09.2008
Colombia on its way towards peace
In the last decades, Colombian society has been affected by drug trafficking, kidnapping, violence, guerrillas and paramilitaries, which has led to displacement and impoverishment of a large part of the population.
Now an ongoing peace process has started. Entire groups of combatants give up their weapons. The Colombian government confronts the situation in an exemplary and constructive way: with a huge reintegration program, bringing back 47,000 ex-combatants into civilian life again.
Frank Pearl is responsible for this unique reintegration program. Before being appointed by President Alvaro Uribe as special adviser for socio-economic reintegration assigned, Mr. Pearl was an associate consultant at McKinsey. Frank Pearl presented the program for "demobilization, reintegration and reconciliation in Colombia" at the headquarters of the Limmat Foundation. The presentation, which took place before a very committed audience, had also attracted the interest of the press. (See article NZZ, May 29, 2008).
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Thu, 05.06.2008
XIII. Esmeralda Charity Cup 2008
Also this year the Esmeralda Charity Cup supports street children in Colombia. 2008 there are five qualification tournaments. They are hold at various courses in Switzerland as Maison Blanche, Schloss Langenstein, Steisslingen, Matterhorn and Bonmot.
The final tournament will take place at Heidental. Interested golfers find data and the registration form on the following Web link.
Some new sponsors have been won for the present edition, which will make prizes even more attractive.
The proceeds of the Esmeralda Charity Cups will be used to support the two following projects:
Project I: Workshops for Vocational Training of former Street Children
In the Boarding Training Center Bosconia-Marcelino 120 youngsters live, who are former street children. They received holistic care. Together with a good general education, appropriate vocational training is a key factor for their re-integration into society. In order to improve the center, the project plans the construction and equipping of two workshops for carpentry and auto mechanical repair. The total cost of the project is CHF 115,000; the Esmeralda Charity Cup will contribute CHF 50,000 out of its tournament proceeds. The balance is provided by local sponsors.
Project II: Expansion of the Child Helpline 106
In the past years, the Limmat Foundation supported the creation of the Child Helpline 106 in three big cities of Colombia: Cali, Medellin und Manizales. 14’000 calls were answered in 2007. About 2,000 of those cases needed follow up through specialized institutions, mainly due to children abuse and violence.
With the new project, the Line 106 will be established in two other cities of Colombia: Cartagena and Barranquilla. One million children live in these cities, and will have the chance to receive help in difficult situations. The cost of the project is CHF 260,000. The Limmat Foundation, with the inclusion of proceeds from the Esmeralda Charity Cup, is contributing CHF 80,000. The remainder of the budget will be provided by Colombian government institutions.
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Wed, 21.05.2008
Help for the earthquake victims in Peru
In the middle of August, a devastating earthquake (7.9 on the Richter scale) ravaged the coastal region of Peru. Hundreds died immediately. Innumerable houses were destroyed. The Limmat Foundation is helping the victims of this disastser.
As usual, the poorest of the poor are suffering the most. Those sufferers include many injured and homeless. Their poorly constructed shack-homes were not able to withstand the seismic quakes. They lost the little that they had for themselves.
In San Vicente de Cañete, about 50 km north of the epicenter, the Limmat Foundation is working together with its partner organization Condoray - Centro de formación profesional para la mujer. The earthquake did little damage to the newly constructed portions of the center CEFEM ; the older sections sustained considerable damage, to the point that they had to be demolished.
One of the many problems stemming from this situation, is that none of the course participants who have suffered the most damage, are able to attend classes. They are busy with the challenge of reconstruction, and sorely need money for this.
The Limmat Foundation will offer earthquake victims the opportunity to continue their job-oriented training at no cost. This will enable them to find better paying jobs, which will in turn make it possible for them to rebuild their houses.
In order to provide still more support, the Limmat Foundation is also accepting donations for the earthquake victims. Donations earmarked "Peruvian Earthquake" can be sent to the Limmat Foundation, Postal Account PC 80-10060-3 or to the bank account UBS, SWIFT UBSWCHZH80A, IBAN CH85 0020 6206 2318 5901 Q.
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Thu, 20.09.2007
New clinic for mothers and children
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2,800 out of every 100,000 pregnant women die. Every fifth child dies before the age of 5, and 6 percent of the population have HIV. The need for a clinic for mothers and children is very urgent.
For many years, the Limmat Foundation has supported the Monkole Hospital in Kinshasa, the capital of the D.R.C. The hospital is situated in a slum and is operating at capacity. For a long time, the hospital has been trying to raise the money to build an addition consisting of 130 beds, a surgery and a complementary medicine department - for treatment of women and young children,
A portion of the financing has already been raised, and the construction of the Centre Hospitalier Mère et Enfant is now underway.
The Limmat Foundation is working together with the Centre Congolais de Culture, de Formation et de Développement – CECFOR, the project executing organization in Kinshasa, to identify other major donors, so that the hospital project can be completed as planned.
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Thu, 20.09.2007
Help for young mothers
Pro-Vida Digna in Cali gives single mothers an education that enables them to build a life for themselves and their children.
For many years, the Centro de Apoyo a la Mujer in the Colombian city of Cali has been offering pregnant, often under-age girls psychological support. For many of these mostly destitute, poorly educated young women, abortion appears to be the only way to escape poverty, overwhelming burdens and social stigma.
To save an unborn life, very concrete assistance must be offered to young girls who are unexpectedly pregnant. A viable alternative to abortion can be found in providing these girls with a better education, so that they independently build a future for themselves and their child.
The Pro-Vida Digna Foundation helps these pregnant and single mothers of young children complete their primary education, enroll in vocational training, and learn entrepreneurial skills. After successfully completing this education, the girls have access to micro-credit in order to start a small business.
The Limmat Foundation is equipping 3 workshops in the new educational center with a donation of 70,000 euros. In the next 3 years, approximately 850 young mothers will be able to profit from this help.
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Thu, 20.09.2007
BENEFIT CONCERT GIVEN BY BOSCONIA YOUTH ORCHESTRACHF 62,000 (USD 48’000) for the Street Children
The official results of the Bosconia Orchestra’s tour through Switzerland are in: over CHF 62,000 (USD 48’000)were netted for the vocational education of former street children in Colombia. A most satisfactory outcome!
The 47 street children – 35 musicians and 12 dancers – and their 8 chaperones arrived in Europe for their tour in the early fall of 2005. Trip expenses were shared by Belgium, Spain and Switzerland. The great success of this event is due in part to the generosity of the tour sponsors, who underwrote the expenses of the week of performances in Switzerland. Because of them, we were able to direct 100% of all donations and proceeds from ticket sales to the projects in Colombia.
Proceeds from the tour will make possible a new vocational education center in Buenaventura (on the Pacific coast of Colombia), where the problem of street children has become particularly acute in the past few years. The Pelicanos Center will take in 90 former street children, and will provide vocational training for a further 300 at-risk youth.
At the invitation of the Limmat Foundation, 47 former street children from Colombia performed for an audience of 400 in the Zurich Volkshaus on September 26, 2005. Father Javier De Nicolo -- whose name is synonomous with the effectiveness of working with street children -– emphasized in his greeting the crucial importance of giving affection to these children. This is what encourages them to eventually leave the street and freely venture into a suitable training center.
The 35 young musicians played ambitious pieces by Rossini and von Suppé with great élan. In the second half of the program, a dozen children accompanied Caribbean folkloric songs with a charming, tropically colored dance. The youths from Colombia proved to the enchanted Swiss audience that their education program is a resounding success.
In the name of the Zurich government, the city council president, Dorothée Fierz, gave her heartfelt speech to the young musicians and their escorts in Spanish. “If one knows,” she said, “that these children lived on the street for years under inhumane and degrading conditions, one is overwhelmed to see what is possible after a few years of intense care and affection. Understanding and attention, which they never experienced in their early childhood, prove what amazing feats people are capable of.” Ms Fierz encouraged everyone present to continue in their support of these children, be it as concertgoer, sponsor, helper or donor, in the knowledge that all contributions go entirely towards the vocational training of these children.
Zurich’s legislators dance the salsa with former street children
A pleasant surprise awaited the Zurich cantonal councillors on Monday, September 26, 2005, during a break in their session. The Bosconia Youth Orchestra played an invigorating impromptu concert for them on the Gemüsebrücke. As happened the day before, the music proved irresistible: the tropical rhythms and the urging of the children moved the legislators, visibly amused, to shake a leg themselves. Even the councillors Fierz and Aeppli proved themselves in fine dancing form.
The other performances in Switzerland were also very successful:
-Tuesday, September 27the at 18:30 in the Kursaal in Berne
-Wednesday, September 28th at 18:30 in the Palais des Nations in Geneva
-Thursday, September 29th at 18:30 in the Gemeindesaal in Vandoeuvres
The concert program included works by Brahms, Rossini and von Suppé as well as cumbia, salsa and folkloric music of the Caribbean.
“I wish these young musicians much success and congratulate the Limmat Foundation on its outstanding work for the benefit of needy children.” Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey.
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