Swiss mountain aid
The Swiss Mountain Aid ( French Aide suisse à la montagne , Italian Aiuto alla Montagna Svizzero , Romansh Agid Svizzer per la Muntogna ) is a non-profit organization , the statutes according to sustainable and forward-looking projects for the Swiss mountain population supported.
Foundation purpose
The aim of the foundation is to improve the livelihoods of people in the mountain area so that they can live in a secure economic, social and natural environment. Right from the start, “helping people to help themselves” was the guiding principle. The organization claims to be independent and supports initiatives in the areas of agriculture and alpine farming, forest and wood, tourism, energy, education, trade and health. It provides immediate help in emergency situations.
The foundation is financed exclusively through donations , inheritances or bequests and does not receive any subsidies . Applications for support are checked by experts who work on a voluntary basis according to clearly defined allocation guidelines.
history
In 1942 the «Commission for Social Work in Mountain Areas» (KOSAB) began its work. In 1943 she added the term "Berghilfe" to her name.
In 1944, all large, non-profit organizations such as Pro Juventute , Schweizer Heimatwerk , Winterhilfe , Caritas , SGG and Swiss sponsorship for mountain communities were united in the politically and denominationally neutral mountain aid . Cooperation with the Swiss Working Group for Mountain Regions (SAB) was expressly planned. In 1946, Berghilfe limited its tasks to social work in the narrower sense. Berghilfe drew more attention to itself in 1948 with the slide show Die Berghilfe ant ant ant .
The "Swiss Mountain Aid" established itself in 1953 as an association with the purpose of promoting intellectual and material welfare in the mountain regions. It was based in Zurich . In 1953, the Zewo Foundation awarded the Swiss Mountain Aid the ZEWO seal of approval for non-profit organizations.
In 1975, Schweizer Berghilfe was exempt from inheritance tax. The use of experts to clarify and assess the applications was regulated in detail and new guidelines for the assessment were drawn up. From now on, the activity was limited to improving the economic livelihood and living conditions. With the introduction of inspection visits in 1978, the implementation of the projects was to be checked and the interest of Swiss mountain aid indicated. The donation prospectus reached all Swiss households for the first time in 1983.
In the 1990s, the aid was extended to other areas: since 1991, craft businesses have also been recognized as eligible for contributions, provided that they are important for the maintenance of local communities. In 1995, Berghilfe, in cooperation with Rega, carried out a major campaign to evacuate animals in need that were trapped in the Alps after heavy snowfall. In the same year the “Schweizer Berghilfe” was protected as a trademark. Since 1995, Berghilfe has supported the “coordination office for work assignments in the mountain area”, which is now called “Bergversetzer”. The clothing collections were restructured in 1997 under the direction of Solitex GmbH.
Berghilfe made half a million francs available for the severe consequences of the hot summer of 2003 . This amount was doubled in spring 2004 after around 1,000 requests for support had been received.
In 2005 the organization was transformed into a non-profit foundation under federal supervision . After the severe storms in August 2005 , 267 projects were supported with CHF 900,000. In 2018, Berghilfe celebrated its 75th anniversary with various activities. In the hot summer of 2018 , many Alps had to struggle with drought. Berghilfe financed water transport by helicopter for the affected areas in the amount of around 60,000 francs.
The Foundation's president has been Adolf Ogi since 2002 and Franz Marty since 2006 . Willy Gehriger has chaired the organization since 2014 .
publication
- The Echo (previously Berghilf-Ziitig ) has been published four times a year since 1988 in German and French with a total circulation of around 130,000 copies.
Prix Montagne
The Prix Montagne Prize is awarded in cooperation with the Swiss Association for Mountain Regions (SAB) to companies that make an exemplary contribution to economic diversity and employment in the Swiss mountain region.
Prize winners:
- 2011 Gran Alpin producers' cooperative: Cultivates mountain grain in the Graubünden mountain region at 1000 meters above sea level.
- 2012 Muotathal Adventure World : Offers nature-based adventure tourism in the canton of Schwyz .
- 2013 Musikdorf Ernen : Organizes classical concerts and events every year
- 2014 La Cavagne: Sells the local products of producers in Val d'Illiez .
- 2015 Household service for the Uri farmers: takes on household chores, looks after children and the elderly and offers catering.
- 2016 Gomina : The Upper Valais company manufactures surgical saws for the international market in Niederwald .
- 2017 Wyssen Avalanche Control AG: The company in Bern guarantees protection against avalanches for roads, trains and ski slopes.
- 2018 La Conditoria: In the village bakery in Sedrun, the invention of what is probably the smallest Graubünden nut cake in the world was born.
- 2019 Geosatis: The high-tech startup from Le Noirmont in the Jura has developed an electronic ankle restraint.
literature
- Rolf Maurer : Swiss Mountain Aid (SBH). In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . November 27, 2012 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Swiss mountain aid
- ↑ Swiss donation table: Swiss Mountain Aid ( Memento from May 17, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ www.bergversetzer.ch
- ↑ Swiss Mountain Aid: History
- ↑ Gran Alpin website
- ↑ Website of Erlebniswelt Muotathal
- ^ Website of Musikdorf Ernen
- ↑ website of La Cavagne Val d'Illiez
- ^ Website of household service Uri
- ^ Website of Gomina AG
- ↑ Wyssen Avalanche Control AG website. Accessed October 24, 2018 (German).
- ^ La Conditoria website. Accessed October 24, 2018 (German).
- ↑ Web site Geosatis. Accessed December 6, 2019 (German).