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No. 3 / November 2018 / Volume 38
With ROKPA to independence
INHALT
Editorial 2
Eine Begegnung die mein Leben verändert hat 3
NEPAL: Gemeinsame Ziele
als Schlüssel zum Erfolg 4
NEPAL: Aufbruch in ein eigenständiges Leben /
Der Schulleiter der ROKPA Hotelfachausbildung
stellt sich vor 5
NEPAL: Bildung für ein unabhängiges Leben 6
TIBETISCHE GEBIETE CHINAS:
ROKPAs Hilfe trägt Früchte 7
SIMBABWE: Mit neuen Fähigkeiten zu
mehr Selbständigkeit 8
SÜDAFRIKA: Storchenbündel für
die Unabhängigkeit von Frauen 9
ROKPA NEWS 10
Nachruf / Spendende über ROKPA 11
Vorstand ROKPA INTERNATIONAL
Lea Wyler, Präsidentin und Mitgründerin / Peter Fanconi, Vize-Präsident / Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche / Dorje Tarap / Gelong Thubten / Andreas Vollenweider
Impressum
Redaktion: Corinna Biasiutti / Diana Dodd / Sanjaya Lal Shrestha / Bijay Shrestha / Thomas Stettler / Lea Wyler / Tina Zaugg Lektorat: Liane Brand (www.lianebrand.ch) Grafik: Renée Reust Titelbild: © Robert Bösch Foto Rückseite: © Lea Wyler Fotos: © Corinna Biasiutti, Robert Bösch, Loïc Chantriaux, Diana Dodd, Melanie Ewing, Sarah Graham, Suzanne Louw, Marlis Lüscher, Gabriel Peisker, Evelyne Plüss, Françoise Prudhomme, Robert Rapp, ROKPA INTERNATIONAL, ROKPA Support Network Zimbabwe, Bijay Shrestha, Pabitra Timilsina, Lea Wyler Text: © ROKPA INTERNATIONAL Auflage: 7’200 Exemplare
Lea Wyler with Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche.
Dear friends of ROKPA,
“We are still like brothers and sisters.” This is how the Tibetan
doctor Droni describes her former classmates. They are all
orphans and half-orphans who were educated at the ROKPA
Tibetan Medical School and found a new family. This was 25
years ago. I am deeply touched by how their lives have been
turned into a positive direction since then. What’s more, these
trained doctors, in turn, help people in need – in some cases
without being paid. This is applied help for self-help, this is
sustainable and exactly what ROKPA for almost 40 years has
been standing for!
This winter I will be travelling to visit our projects in South
Africa and Zimbabwe as well as to evaluate new ones. Poverty in
these countries is still rampant. With your financial help and
support we will be able to continue to make a difference – may-
be even more so than before! Our work in Nepal also progresses,
where in new projects 40 disadvantaged youths and women are
currently undergoing professional training at the ROKPA Voca-
tional Training Center giving them the necessary skills for the
working world.
I was very saddened by the fact that for the time being we are
unable to continue our projects in the Tibetan areas of China. In
the meantime, however, I recognize that it is not about geogra-
phy but about the people, about the children! It is my personal
duty, passion even, to help the forgotten children of this world,
wherever and whoever they are, regardless of where they come
from. Let us take action where others look away. Let us reach
out where others pull back. THIS is what ROKPA stands for and
THIS is – without a shadow of a doubt – the spirit and purpose
of this new situation for ROKPA. One door has been closed and
many new doors are now being opened! We now must open our
hearts even wider and with your support do what we always did:
help where help is needed!
I am thrilled that you are willing to join us on this path and
would like to personally thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Yours,
Lea Wyler
Co-Founder and President ROKPA INTERNATIONAL
Editorial
Pho
to:
© L
ea W
yler
CONTENTS
Editorial 2
The encounter that changed my life 3
NEPAL: Common goals are the key to success 4
NEPAL: Starting an independent life /
The School Administrator of the ROKPA Hospitality
Vocational Training introduces himself 5
NEPAL: Education for an independent life 6
TIBETAN AREAS OF CHINA:
ROKPA’s aid bears fruit 7
ZIMBABWE: Gaining independence by
learning new skills 8
SOUTH AFRICA: “Stork bundles” for
independent women 9
ROKPA NEWS 10
Obituary / Donors on ROKPA 11
Executive Board ROKPA INTERNATIONAL
Lea Wyler, President and Co-Founder / Peter Fanconi, Vice President / Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche / Dorje Tarap / Gelong Thubten / Andreas Vollenweider
Imprint
Editorial team: Corinna Biasiutti / Diana Dodd / Sanjaya Lal Shrestha / Bijay Shrestha / Thomas Stettler / Lea Wyler / Tina Zaugg Copy editing: Liane Brand (www.lianebrand.ch) / Claire Twigger English translation: Henriette Levy / Elizabeth Postle Graphic design: Renée Reust / Sandra Hopfensitz Cover picture: © Robert Bösch Photo on the back: © Lea Wyler Photos: © Corinna Biasiutti, Robert Bösch, Loïc Chantriaux, Diana Dodd, Melanie Ewing, Sarah Graham, Suzanne Louw, Marlis Lüscher, Gabriel Peisker, Evelyne Plüss, Françoise Prudhomme, Robert Rapp, ROKPA INTERNATIONAL, ROKPA Support Network Zimbabwe, Bijay Shrestha, Pabitra Timilsina, Lea Wyler Text: © ROKPA INTERNATIONAL Print run: 7’200 copies (German edition)
Printed on Recycling Paper, produced accordingto the rules of “The blue Angel”.
3
ROKPA INTERNATIONAL
The encounter that changed my life
Dear friends,
Namaste! My name is Bijay Shreshta. I am the official
Co-Manager of ROKPA Nepal. Unofficially, I am the big brother
of the ROKPA Children’s Home. While writing these lines, I am
sitting in the common room and help the children with their
homework. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by their chit-chat
and pranks. However, I’m filled with satisfaction to be able to
help the kids and I have a lot of affection for each of them.
My father left the family home for another woman before I was
born. My mother passed away when I was 5 years old. At this
tender age I was living on the streets for one year, begging,
learning and surviving. I slept on the sidewalks by the Stupa
– sometimes with my stomach full and sometimes empty. I
experienced compassion from friends and strangers and I was
beaten up from time to time. Despite the hardship, I also
enjoyed life now and then.
One day I will never forget was the day when a woman took
my hand and my life changed forever. The woman’s name is
Lea Wyler, whom we lovingly call “mummy”. She stepped into
my life the moment I needed help the most. She taught me
how to brush my teeth, how to tie my shoes, she took me to
school for the first time and taught me a lot of other things.
But the most important thing was that she opened her heart
(and her wallet) for strangers like me, that she loved us and
still does.
Her single act of charity changed my life and the lives of many
others forever. Together with 6 other children, she sent me to
school and the rest is history.
I lived in the Children’s Home up to 2005. My home was
there, I found brothers, sisters, friends and above all a mother
who loved us unconditionally. She showed us the right path
and taught us to appreciate what we have, to have compas-
sion for others and to help where we can. I moved out after my
university degree and started an independent life. Every
holiday I would go back to the Children’s Home and help
whenever I could – it is the only home I ever knew.
Then in 2010, Mummy Lea offered me the chance to work in
the Children’s Home and in other projects that ROKPA carries
out in Nepal. It’s been 28 years since I came to ROKPA and
it’s been a good journey so far.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone, our
President, the members of the Executive Board, and the
employees of ROKPA in Zurich, the volunteers, friends,
families and donors for their support. Without your help and
contribution, I and hundreds of other children would not be
where we are today.
Every contribution is important and has a direct impact on
people’s lives. I am the living proof of this!
With my very best regards,
Bijay Shrestha
Co-Manager ROKPA Nepal
Pho
to:
© S
arah
Gra
ham
Bijay, a former ROKPA Child and today
Co-Manager of ROKPA Nepal,
feels connected to each and every one
of his protégés.
NEPAL
4
Common goals are the key to success
ROKPA: Victor and Loïc, how should we picture a normal working
day as advisor to the ROKPA Hospitality Vocational Training?
Victor: Every day is slightly different. This makes our work so
interesting. We have a wide range of duties and we make varied
experiences.
Loïc: Exactly. There is no such thing as a typical working day.
We adjust to the needs “on the job”. For example, I support
teachers in preparing their lessons, I teach and I oversee
administrative work. I agree with Victor: we gain an immense
amount of experience working for this project.
ROKPA: What are the biggest challenges?
Victor: During my assignment our biggest challenge was to get
the Hospitality Vocational Training up and running without
disrupting the existing organisation.
Loïc: Sometimes it is tricky to learn how things work here.
Nepalese culture is different to ours. Personally, my biggest
challenge was to find the right tempo: not to move forward too
quickly and not to do too many things in order not to inundate
the employees with too many tasks. To take care of the day-to-
day business in itself is already a huge task.
ROKPA: What is the most important thing you want to pass on
to students and teachers? What do you learn from them?
Victor: I wanted to convey appreciation as it helps students to
study successfully. Later I realised that because of their culture,
Nepalese people are already appreciative. Each day I learnt from
them.
Loïc: I would like teachers and students to learn how to work to
perfection so that they will be able to deal with everything that
lies ahead. I learn patience and diplomacy from them. We have
to move forward slowly but surely and not push them – we
wouldn’t want to do this anyway as they are so nice.
ROKPA: Victor, what are the most important lessons you learnt
from your assignment? What advice would you give to Loïc?
Victor: Common and tangible goals are needed to create a good
team. Enjoy and have fun, Loïc!
Pho
tos:
© C
orin
na B
iasi
utti
, Lo
ïc C
hant
riau
x
In May this year, the first training courses started at the ROKPA
Hospitality Vocational Training in Kathmandu. Local employees
take care of the day-to-day business, supported by volunteers of
the Swiss Hospitality Association EHLsmile who assist and give
advice. Victor Jaton was one of the two advisors who accompa-
nied this project during the first 6 months. He was then
replaced by Loïc Chantriaux. In the following interview with
ROKPA, these two hospitality experts give us some insight into
their daily routine working for the vocational training project.
Participants of the “food production” course working on new dishes
for the ROKPA Restaurant, supported by Loïc Chantriaux (r.).
Victor Jaton (c.) and Camille Briffod (r.), EHLsmile volunteers who
helped develop the project.
NEPAL
5
Starting an independent life
Anisha is 18 years old and is taking the one-year training course
in “Service”. She grew up in a village near Kathmandu where
she lived with her family. When she was a child, Anisha scalded
herself with hot water and she’s still suffering from the wounds
sustained in this incident. She lost her mother during the 2015
earthquake – an even more cruel stroke of fate. Fortunately,
Anisha was supported by CWIN, a Nepalese organization for
children’s rights. CWIN registered Anisha for the ROKPA
Hospitality Training. Anisha likes to read and with this training
wants to secure her own future.
Kalpana is 24 years old and is taking the six-month training
course as a seamstress. Her mother died when she was 7 years
old. This was a crushing blow for her as she felt especially loved
by her mother. She has two brothers who do not look after her.
Today, Kalpana lives in a home for people with disabilities and
she is happy to be able to train at the ROKPA Women’s Work-
shop. She already has previous experience as a seamstress and
wants to learn more in order to be fit for the job market.
32 deprived young people are presently being trained in hospi-
tality services at the new ROKPA Vocational Training Center.
There are three certificate programmes: “Food Production”,
“Service” and “Room Management”. A further 10 destitute
women are being trained as seamstresses. Anisha and Kalpana
are two of the students. Despite some cruel strokes of fate and
their physical impairment, these young women have decided to
take their destiny into their own hands. Education lays the
foundation for an independent life.
Pho
tos:
© R
OK
PA
IN
TER
NAT
ION
AL,
Bija
y S
hres
tha
The School Administrator of the ROKPA Hospitality Vocational Training introduces himself
My name is Sanjaya Lal Shresta and I am the School
Administrator of the ROKPA Hospitality Vocational Training.
I started my career at reception and in communication. In the
following years, I worked my way up to a managing position.
I decided to work for ROKPA because I want to work for a
good cause and support young people.
My work day starts with a smile from my students. I person-
ally greet each and every one of them because think it is
important that our students feel accepted. As I am responsi-
ble for the operation of our Hospitality Training as well as for
the ROKPA Guest House, I have a tight schedule: I prepare
the timetables, I support our teachers and I also teach.
Furthermore, I deal with requests regarding the Guest House,
I am responsible for the school administration and coordinate
with our partner organisations such as the GATE College.
Our students are from financially vulnerable families. I take
all the time necessary to assist them with personal as well as
academic matters. I want these young people to be successful
so that they can help their families to have a decent life too.
Sanjaya Lal Shrestha (l.) teaching.
Working despite physical impairment:
Kalpana (l.) training as a seamstress at the
ROKPA Vocational Training Center.
6
NEPAL
28 year-old Pabitra and her younger sister
Sharmila, 5 years her junior, grew up in a
village in the Kathmandu Valley. Her family
was poor and had very few possessions
except some pots for cooking. However,
there was very little to fill these pots. Food
was scarce and got even scarcer with every
new child. The family already had 7 girls
when a boy arrived. The father had
desperately wanted to have a boy.
Both parents worked in the fields. But the
father was an alcoholic and spent almost
all the money on alcohol. Hoping to find a
better income, the family moved to
Kathmandu. The mother worked on a
construction site where she had to carry
heavy loads. She went to work at sunrise
and returned in the night. The father also
worked as a porter, but he couldn’t give up
drinking.
Soon the children had to work to supple-
ment the family income. At the age of 7,
Sharmila already worked as a housemaid.
She was scolded, threatened and beaten
– until she fled.
Pabitra worked as a housemaid too. When
her mother learned that Pabitra hadn’t
been sent to school as promised, she took
her back home. Despite being poor, the
year ago. As there had not been enough
money to pay for the flight, they had had
to wait 7 years to hug each other again.
At first, returning home was a cultural
shock for Pabitra. In the meantime, she
has adjusted and feels very much at home
in Nepal. Today the young woman works as
a project manager with an IT company.
Together with two of her younger siblings,
she lives with her mother. Thanks to her
good income Pabitra is able to finance the
household chiefly. She is happy to be with
her family again.
mother didn’t want her children to grow up
uneducated like herself. Whenever she was
able to raise money, she sent her children
to school.
But then the father fell ill with liver cancer.
In order to be able to pay for the hospital
and medication, their mother borrowed
money from neighbours. Pabitra usually
took care of her father when her mother
was working. Before he died, the father
gave the following advice to his daughter:
“Study well, be a successful girl and try to
serve your family”. Pabitra took his advice
to heart. Hoping to find help, the girl went
to the ROKPA Soup Kitchen with an X-ray
picture of her father in her hands. She had
been there before with her family warming
up with a hot meal during the cold winter.
Pabitra told Lea Wyler, the Co-Founder of
ROKPA, what had happened. Moved by her
story, Lea Wyler took Pabitra and her sister
Sharmila to the ROKPA Children’s Home.
Their mother received financial support
from ROKPA for herself and for the other
children.
Pabitra was an excellent student. When
she was 19 she obtained a visa to go to
Great Britain and studied Business
Management in London. After having
successfully completed her studies in
2014, she worked as an accountant in
London.
Sharmila is also a successful student. She
is presently studying for a Bachelor’s
Degree in Public Health and is working
part-time as a waitress at the ROKPA
Guest House. Sometimes Sharmila feels
the dual burden, especially during long
working days. However, she is very happy
that her big sister came back to Nepal a
Pho
tos:
© R
ober
t B
ösch
, R
OK
PA
IN
TER
NAT
ION
AL,
Pab
itra
Tim
ilsin
a
Education for an independent life
Pabitra (l.) and Sharmila in the
ROKPA Children’s Home in 2004.
Pabitra successfully completed her
studies in Business Management in 2014.
Sharmila studies Public Health and
works part-time as waitress in the
ROKPA Restaurant.
77
TIBETISCHE GEBIETE CHINAS
In 1993 the first ROKPA subsidised class at the ROKPA Tibetan Medical School in
Yushu was made up of orphans and half-orphans. Back then they were dependent on
help. 25 years later, 47 of the former students are now practising doctors who help
others.
In July 2018 there was a reunion to mark 25 years since they began their studies.
As their first English teacher – I spent 6 months volunteering at the school in 1995 –
I was invited too. “As we are now practicing doctors across the County, there aren’t
many opportunities to meet,” Droni told me. “But we have a social media group and
use this to stay in touch – we are still like brothers and sisters.”
As I now visit the school along with the 48 graduates, it is extremely moving to witness
how radically conditions have changed. Nothing is left of the old mud huts with broken
windows, intermittent electricity and no running water. Now the facilities are compara-
tively modern. After the devastating earthquake in Yushu in 2010, the Chinese govern-
ment completely rebuilt the town and it is now full of modern buildings. And yet there
are still many orphans with the same shy, appreciative, curious expressions on their
faces – only now they’re wearing better clothes. There are currently 476 boarding
students at the school, all of them orphans or half-orphans from destitute backgrounds.
There are new places every year for up to 90 students from the 45 villages and towns
of Yushu Prefecture.
In the meantime, many of the former students have become parents themselves to
children who are now the same age as they themselves were when they joined the
ROKPA School. It is obvious that the wonderful help they received back then is now
being passed on and is benefiting others. They don’t only care for their patients but
also support their extended families and others who didn’t have the same opportunities
as themselves.
Report by Diana Dodd
Pho
tos:
© D
iana
Dod
d, L
ea W
yler
ROKPA’s aid bears fruit Solidarity with
Tsündru
Tsündru is the only one of her class
who isn’t now practising as a doctor.
8 years ago she had a terrible
accident and only just survived –
she is now a paraplegic and has
had to be operated on many times.
The surgery was made possible by
generous ROKPA Donors.
Tsündru too is still close to her
former classmates and attended
the reunion. Every year the class
pool money for her medical
expenses – this year they managed
to collect 1500 Swiss francs.
Tsündru (front) with her mother
and two brothers.
These orphans in Yushu saw Akong
Rinpoche as their father and protector.
25 years on, they still consider themselves
brothers and sisters, who now themselves
are able to provide help where it is needed.
TIBETAN AREAS OF CHINA
8
SIMBABWE
Gaining independence by learning new skillsSince its beginnings in 2000, the ROKPA
Support Network in Zimbabwe has
focused on supporting the weakest and
the neediest: children with disabilities
and their parents, orphans and their
carers, as well as the chronically ill. They
support as many of these people as
possible using the self-help approach, for
example by offering assistance in their
daily life with HIV, or by advising and
training them how to build up a small
business or how to grow low-cost but
nourishing vegetables and spices.
One of these projects is the ROKPA Day
Care Center in Chitungwiza. Here, around
35 children, some with very severe
disabilities, are looked after every day
during the week. The children receive
treatment relevant to their needs (physio-
therapy, activity therapy, speech therapy)
as well as medical support, food, toys
and equipment for creative activities. A
specialist therapist visits the Center at
least once a week.
Under the direction of a coordinator, the
Center is run by the parents of the children.
The parents receive a basic introduction
to the therapies used, which enables them
to continue supporting their children at
home. The project ensures that both
parents and carers have enough time to
earn an income whilst the children can
develop skills in a secure environment
which will help to make them more
independent.
The Sewing Project is one of the initiatives
being put into practice at the ROKPA
Chitungwiza Center to promote the develop-
ment of entrepreneurial skills. The project
aims to achieve at least three things: the
participants gain new craft skills, they
can earn an income, and they are able to
satisfy local demand for clothes and other
textile items.
In the Sewing Project participants
transform old jeans into uniforms and
other products that are designed by the
participants. ROKPA supports the mostly
young people in their work and encourag-
es the continued development of their
skills as well as their product range.
Pho
tos:
© R
OK
PA
Sup
port
Net
wor
k Zi
mba
bwe,
Lea
Wyl
er
ROKPA Projects in Chitungwiza,
a poor suburb of Harare:
young people learn a craft.
Children with disabilities receive the
personalised care they need.
ZIMBABWE
SÜDAFRIKA
99
In a poor district of Cape Town new mothers are provided with
“stork bundles”, sandwiches and food vouchers from ROKPA.
In this way, the women are able to concentrate on the welfare
of their newborn babies rather than having to struggle for each
meal.
“The baby’s clothes are passed on from family to family” reports
Zan, a “Circle of Nourishment” volunteer who distributes food
and stork bundles. “In the most extreme cases this will prevent a
baby from dying of cold in a draughty tin hut.” The mothers are
aware that these packages are a temporary measure which
should help them to find ways to improve their own situation.
The aim of this project is to help them towards independence.
Carrie, aged 34, is expecting her second child. She suffered
domestic violence at the hands of her partner for years and was
completely reliant on him. After a particularly bad fight, he left
the heavily pregnant Carrie with nothing to live on. She explains
that she would often go to bed hungry herself, but always made
sure that her five-year-old child was fed by a neighbour. Carrie
says that she cannot continue to ask for help from neighbours
who are themselves struggling to make ends meet.
When we gave Carrie food vouchers she cried tears of joy, saying
that she had never expected to receive help in this way. Two
weeks later she was given more vouchers which will help her to
eat healthily during her pregnancy. Her child will soon be born
– and then she’ll receive a stork bundle too.
“Stork bundles” for independent women
Pho
tos:
© S
uzan
ne L
ouw
, Le
a W
yler
The “Circle of Nourishment” Project
Project activities include:
• Preparing and distributing nourishing sandwiches and fruit.
• Giving new mothers a stork bundle comprising sanitary and
hygiene products and a basic kit of clothing for their
newborn.
• Handing out food vouchers.
• Providing moral support for the women, many of whom
have to deal with sad and difficult circumstances.
In collaboration with a maternity hospital in Cape Town,
ROKPA comes into contact with between 250 and 300
destitute mothers and their newborn babies each week.
Many of the mothers are very young and have to fend for
themselves.
A stork bundle
contains disposable
nappies and clothes
for newborn babies,
which the new
mothers are very
grateful to receive.
SOUTH AFRICA
ROKPA NEWS
10
New ROKPA Executive Board member
Season’s Greetings The entire ROKPA Team would like to wish you a very happy Christmas and all
the very best for the New Year. We hope to be able to count on your continued
support in 2019.
ROKPA welcomes two new employees at our Headquarters in Zurich
In January 2018 Melanie Ewing took over from Romano
Renner as the Head of Finance for ROKPA. She was born
in Scotland and studied Accounting and German in
England. She did further training at the consultancy firm
Ernst & Young. Her curiosity brought her to Switzerland,
where she has lived since 2004. Ever since then it has
been her dream to bring her experience to a charitable
setting, so she’s excited to be working at ROKPA. She
appreciates ROKPA’s method of providing aid in a
goal-orientated and unbureaucratic way and also values the close collaboration
within the ROKPA Team.
In July 2018 Evelyne Plüss began her role of Donor
Relations Manager on the departure of Caterina Mei-
er-Pfister. After studying Political Science she did an
internship in the area of migration at the Federal
Department of Foreign Affairs, after which she worked
for an international organisation in Bolivia and then as a
youth development project manager for a Swiss founda-
tion. She lived in Kenya for the past five years where
she worked for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and also as
coordinator for South Sudan with a German NGO. Now back in Switzerland she is
pleased to be able to support the ROKPA Team in this exciting position.
Earnings from Wal-Ro dolls have topped 100’000 Swiss francs
Marlis Lüscher (center) and her hardwork-
ing team have been making Waldorf dolls
exclusively for ROKPA (hence the name
Wal-Ro dolls) since 2010.
The group of 15 women based in the
Valais mountains dedicate thousands of
hours each year tirelessly working on
these unique dolls. Now, thanks to loyal
and new customers, they have hit the
mark of 100’000 Swiss francs.
We at ROKPA are thrilled and would like
to extend our heartfelt thanks to all
involved for their invaluable contribution.
Pho
tos:
© R
ober
t B
ösch
, M
elan
ie E
win
g, M
arlis
Lüs
cher
, G
abri
el P
eisk
er,
Evel
yne
Plü
ss
■ Are you looking for Christmas
gifts? Visit the Wal-Ro online shop
at www.rokpa.org/walro
All proceeds from the sale of Wal-Ro
items go via ROKPA to disadvanta-
ged children in the Himalaya region.
This year the executive committee at ROKPA INTERNA-
TIONAL grew to six when we welcomed a new board
member. Dorje Tarap was born in the Tibetan areas of
China, grew up in Scotland and Nepal and now lives in
Switzerland. He comes to us with invaluable knowledge
of the Himalaya region and of the cultural values of the
people there. In addition he has a degree in Bioinformat-
ics and has worked in the healthcare industry for over 15
years. ROKPA is excited about working with him and
wishes him a great start.
ROKPA TEAM
11
ObituaryROKPA is sad to have to say goodbye to two long-term companions in the same year.
We are deeply grateful to Françoise Prudhomme and Röbi Rapp
for their tireless commitment in service of the poorest people. We will miss them.
Françoise Prudhomme co-found-
ed ROKPA France and ran the
French Representation successful-
ly for many years on a voluntary
basis. Françoise was an excep-
tional character who touched the
hearts of many people with her
warmth, dependability and
sincerity. Although her life was
marked by illness she never let herself become demoral-
ised. Her positive, relaxed and cheerful manner remains an
example to us all.
Robert „Röbi“ Rapp volunteered on
a 50 percent workload for ROKPA
for many years. He was responsible
for recording donations received,
which he did painstakingly by hand.
Röbi was a very conscientious and
kind person who cared deeply for
people in need. With his long-term
partner Ernst Ostertag, Röbi was a
pioneer for the rights of same-sex couples in Switzerland:
together they campaigned tirelessly for the legal recognition of
civil partnerships.
Donors on ROKPA: this is what makes ROKPA unique for me
Pho
tos:
© F
ranç
oise
Pru
dhom
me,
Rob
ert
Rap
p
I really like how small the organisation
is. It gives you the feeling of being part
of a large family. The results of ROKPA’s
project work are presented clearly in the
ROKPA Times and on the website. That
makes me feel sure that my donations
really make a difference.
Jolanda Kocher, Uster
I’m impressed at how personally involved
Lea Wyler is and how she has managed
to directly help so many needy people.
Elisabeth Tornay, Zürich
For me, aid in the Himalaya region is of
central importance. I’m pleased that
ROKPA is also active in South Africa and
Zimbabwe, but the fact that ROKPA
supports the Himalaya region is the main
reason why I have continued to donate
over many years.
Boris Brönimann, Horgen
I think it’s brilliant that ROKPA keeps
administrative costs as low as possible so
that the bulk of donations reaches those
who need it most.
Barbara Hediger, Hunzenschwil
The personal commitment of the
Co-Founder, the employees and the many
volunteers is obvious.
Susanne Bernet, Bremgarten
www.yoga-bremgarten.ch
I met Lea Wyler in Kathmandu in 1990
and have been part of the ROKPA Family
ever since. I find it particularly inspiring
how many volunteers are involved.
Thomas Fries, Riehen
In the questionnaire we distributed in June we asked our donors, among other things, what they thought
made ROKPA special. Here we are pleased to include a selection of the many exciting answers we received.
Thank you all for your positive feedback! It encourages and inspires our whole team. Please tell others
about us and order ROKPA information leaflets which you can pass on. THANK YOU!
ROKPA
ROKPA INTERNATIONAL | Böcklinstrasse 27 | 8032 Zurich | Switzerland | Phone +41 44 2626888
info@rokpa.org | www.rokpa.org | facebook.com/ROKPA.org
In Switzerland all donations to ROKPA are tax-free.
Every year hundreds of children and young people get an education in Nepal, Zimbabwe
and South Africa, supported by ROKPA. With its Medical and Food Projects, ROKPA is
making tangible improvements to the living conditions of many poverty-stricken people.
This is only possible with your help!
Thanks to your donations we can have a positive influence on innumerable lives:
• Orphans are housed and sent to school
• Young people from poor families can go to university or college
• Destitute people receive medical care
• Children and adults are provided with the essentials in our Soup Kitchens
• Girls and women are strengthened
With your financial support we can make a difference to the lives of the poorest of
the poor. Help us to give them a chance to live a dignified life.
We are deeply grateful for your generous support!
For a better chance in life
Pho
to:
© L
ea W
yler
How you can donate:
Credit Suisse (Schweiz) AG:
IBAN: CH73 0483 5045 5090 1100 1
BIC/SWIFT: CRESCHZZ80A
Or find the account information for your
country on www.rokpa.org
Project No. 8150:
For ROKPA Medical Projects
Project No. 8100:
For ROKPA Education Projects
Project No. 8000:
For urgent ROKPA Projects
SMS donation
up to CHF 99.–
GO ROKPA XX
(amount, number only) to
target number 488.
Example for CHF 20.–:
GO ROKPA 20 to 488
Kalpana is the single mother of Sajan (l.) and Sachita (r.). The money she earns as a housekeeper is barely enough to keep them alive.
When they came to the ROKPA Children’s Home, Sajan was gravely ill and massively underweight and Sachita was suffering from a
gastro-intestinal complaint. Thanks to support provided by ROKPA they are now much better and they live in the Children’s Home.
Helping where help is needed:sustainably, for over 35 years.
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