The Trust
The House of Encouragement Foundation was established in 2007 as a private initiative.
Although the Trust is fully committed to supporting the vast number of orphans it encounters, it cannot solve the daunting worldwide problem. However, it can make a decisive difference in the lives of individual children.
The key word for our work is "Encouragement".
Our Engagement
Where we help
Support of orphan children, primarily in the community of the Township Soshanguve, South Africa.
Based on years of consistent work with and for orphans, House of Encouragement enjoys a high level of acceptance and appreciation among the local community and authorities.
Taking care of the orphans
Building and operating Day Care Centres for orphans from pre-school to high school age, as well as securing qualified staff for the taking care of orphans in all aspects (food, psychological and medical support, educational training and development, life-schooling programmes, as well as help for self-help). In particular, we emphasise the social skills and support the children according to their individual needs and capabilities.
Individual, intellectual advancement
Children with appropriate talents and a discernibly strong will to learn can be accepted into a support program. Since the schools in the Township cannot keep up with the level of private schools, we send children as of grade 7 onwards to boarding schools or private schools with the aim of affording them the ability to study at a university or College after matriculation.
Vocational Education / Apprenticeships
In South Africa, the possibility of systematic vocational training in the dual system (practical training in selected companies, combined with academic theory in college or or by a recognised training provider) is extremely limited. In order to help as many young people as possible to make their own living and find permanent employment in a short time, we offer one-year training courses in various artisanal trades, as well as in the field of Hospitality, closely modelled after a vocational education or "apprenticeship".
Founders
Walter & Estelle Bosshard
Walter and Estelle Bosshard established the trust in April 2007. The private initiative is dedicated to "charitable assistance, primarily among the Black population, with its prime focus on orphans".
One key motivation factor was that Estelle - as a South Africa citizen - was well-aware of the daunting conditions confronting the underprivileged community in the townships. It is a fact that many children in the local society are gifted and have potential, yet, especially as orphans, never get a real chance to develop and hone their skills.
Since 2009, Walter and Estelle Bosshard have personally been taking care of the trust's work on site in Soshanguve. Today, they are supported by a highly proficient caregiving team in the Orphan Care Center Lesedi-Potlana. Further, they are able to rely on vital, project-related partnerships in South Africa and Switzerland. This has been carried out with the crucial support of their sons in Switzerland.
