From Flight to the Teacher's Desk
At 16, Eh Lah arrived in Thailand from Myanmar as a person seeking protection. Today, the 24-year-old teaches children with a refugee background – using methods she herself never got to experience.
Anniversary Campaign 2026
80 years of commitment to Education
Together, we build a world for children. Worldwide, we help children seize opportunities and unleash their potential.
- ZEWO certified320'652 children reached
Projects and their impact
Stories that Encourage
The boy who wants to become a doctor
Saimoni (12) lives with his sick grandmother and is nevertheless top of his class. Thanks to clean water and hygiene clubs, everything has changed at his school.
Back to the classroom
For four years, Berhane collected cow dung instead of learning. Education ambassadors brought her back – today she is back in class at Kako Goda Grundschule.
Who we are
We build a world for Children
Kinderdorf Pestalozzi is a Swiss educational institution. We are committed to equitable education in Switzerland and worldwide and create learning environments that are tailored to local needs.
Since 1946, we have been creating learning spaces where young people develop skills, strengthen their voice, and learn across cultures – in Switzerland and in projects worldwide.
Donation Calculator
See what your Contribution achieves
Choose an amount and see, using examples, how your help sustainably strengthens children and their education.
Your contributionCHF 50
CHF 20CHF 200
1School desks
½Teacher further trained
5Children with teaching materials
1946
Our Story
1946Foundation
Founding of the Foundation
The Children's Village was founded shortly after the Second World War in Trogen, Appenzell, as a refuge for European war orphans. Over the decades, hundreds of children have found protection, education, and a new sense of belonging there.
‹ swipe ›
Impact
What we do together achieve
320'652children and young people reached
12Countries
145'136Girls reached
8'596trained teachers
*Figures from 2025
Education works best when children co-create, practice, and are heard.
Use of funds
How we use your donation a
Zewo regularly audits and monitors us. This way, you can be sure that your donation is in good hands.
78.5%Programs
ZEWO-certified · annually audited
Donation progress
Together to CHF 80,000 for the 80th Birthday
Together, strong for children: Help us enable education and sustainably shape the future of children.
Anniversary campaign underway
CHF 57'605from CHF 80'000
72% reachedonly 21 days
886
Donors
CHF 65
Ø contribution
Community
Together for Education and opportunities
Behind every donation are people. Choose a group and tap a face to hear their story.
«I am now more open, more self-confident, and I now dare more to express my opinion.»
Sara
Participant, Exchange Projects
Trust & Security
Your donation is in good hands
Thanks to our strong network and proven quality standards.
Your donation arrives
Zewo certified
Zewo regularly audits and supervises us. This way, you know your donation is in good hands. The quality label is only awarded to charitable NPOs that meet all 21 Zewo standards.
DEZA & Swiss Solidarity
Important institutional partnerships
We can count on the valuable support of various partners. Together, we enable children and young people worldwide to access inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education.
Cantons, Cities, Municipalities
Public Institutions
We work together with various public sector actors. Together, we advocate for equitable, high-quality education.
FAQ
Frequently asked Questions
How does my donation reach the children?
Direct and verifiable. Stiftung Kinderdorf Pestalozzi is ZEWO-certified – the strictest Swiss seal of approval for non-profit organisations. It guarantees that donations are used purposefully, efficiently, and transparently. Regular audits by ZEWO and our publicly accessible annual report show exactly where every franc goes.
What concrete impact does my donation have?
Even small amounts have a measurable impact. Example: CHF 51 finance a school desk that will be used by over 30 children for more than 10 years. CHF 114 enable the further training of a teacher who will teach over 2000 children in their career. Your contribution thus does not act just once, but multiplies over the years.
Is the Foundation also active in Switzerland?
Yes. The Children's Village in Trogen (Appenzell) is our heart and an active meeting place. In 2024, our Swiss programmes reached 5359 children in Switzerland and Liechtenstein – through exchange projects, intercultural education and radio projects in schools.
What distinguishes the Foundation from other aid organizations?
We work simultaneously on three levels: We train teachers, improve school infrastructure, and actively involve parents and communities. This triple approach ensures that changes have a long-term impact. In Ethiopia, after 9 years of project work, 4 out of 5 of the educational centers we founded became official schools, independently run by the community.
What happens when a project ends?
This is precisely our measure of success: projects are designed so that communities can continue them independently after completion. Our 3-phase model (build, strengthen, hand over) ensures that no vacuum is created. In Serbia, our inclusion model was even adopted into national education policy.
Can I deduct my donation from my taxes?
Yes. The Kinderdorf Pestalozzi Foundation is recognised as a non-profit organisation. Your donation is tax-deductible in all Swiss cantons. You will automatically receive a donation confirmation from us for your tax return.
Why education – and not emergency aid or medical care?
Education is one of the most effective levers against poverty. A child who completes school earns on average 10% more per additional school year. But it's about more: In our projects, children learn to stand up for themselves, to work together across cultural boundaries, and to make their own decisions.
How do I know that the help truly arrives?
In each country, we work with local partner organizations that know the situation on the ground and are trained by us. We publish an annual detailed impact report with concrete figures from all program countries.
What's the 80th anniversary all about?
In 1946, Kinderdorf Pestalozzi was founded in Trogen – as a place of refuge and peace for children after the Second World War. Since then, the foundation has developed into an internationally active educational organization.
How are teachers trained in the projects?
We rely on participatory teaching methods: Instead of frontal teaching, teachers learn to actively involve children – with group discussions, creative methods, and mother-tongue instruction. A single trained teacher reaches up to 2000 children in their career.
More from Kinderdorf
More offers in the Overview
Become part of the change
With your anniversary donation, you enable children worldwide to access good education.