"  Moi pour toit - Summary "

" Moi pour toit "- What is it ?

It is a non-governmental Swiss-Colombian organisation in favour ofmistreated and abandoned children in Pereira, Colombia.

" Moi pour toit " - What is it for ?

The foundation helps “gamines” who have neither shelter nor legal protection by giving them a home, an education and hope for the future.

" Moi pour toit " - Where is it located ?

The head office is located in Martigny, Switzerland (Canton of Valais). It is directed by Christian Michellod, sports reporter and founder of the organisation, officially created in February 1991.

In Colombia Juan Pablo Bedoya Florez currently directs the foundation. The project includes three major sectors: an emergency centre for boys, a farm in the country, and a house for girls. As a whole the foundation can house seventy children aged 5 to 18. It has been officially recognized by the Colombian government since November 1992.

" Moi pour toit " - How does it work ?

The foundation functions on the principle of direct aid. There is no intermediary between the head office in Switzerland and the centers in Colombia. Each Swiss franc donated reaches its destination intact, as all the administrative expenses are covered by the sale of clothes, handicrafts and Colombian coffee.

" Moi pour toit " - How can one help ?

By making a cash contribution or joining the “One Thousand Club” (one thousand francs donated over a 5-year period). Today more than 1,200 people are helping these children through their donations.

" Moi pour toit " - Who helps ?

When it was officially created on 28 February 1991, the foundation received the moral and written support of prominent personalities, particularly Barbara Hendricks (soprano), Pascal Couchepin (Swiss Minister), Cardinal Henri Schwery, Léonard Gianadda (Founder and Director of the Pierre Gianadda Museum in Martigny), Bruno Brel (singer and nephew of Jacques), William Besse (top-level skier), and Umberto Barberis (football coach).

" Moi pour toit " - What about taxes ?

The foundation, recognized by the government of Valais, is exempt from paying taxes, and all contributions made to it are tax deductible.

" Moi pour toit " - How much does it cost to run ?

In order to provide for the 70 children and 30 employees in Colombia, the monthly budget amounts to some 35,000 Swiss francs. The organization receives no subsidies in Switzerland. In Colombia the ICFB (Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar – Colombian Institution for the Well-being of Families) supports the programme by allotting it 25 % of its budget.