I am delighted to introduce myself to you as the new Executive Director. On November 8, the Usthi Board of Trustees unanimously appointed me to head up the Organisation. I have been active for the past 11 years in Development Cooperation. After having completed my studies in Politics and Human Rights in Paris, I gained experience […]

The anniversary of the opening, in December 1977, of the first Usthi Foundation school gives us the opportunity to reflect with you on 40 years of Usthi history. Preparations for this anniversary next year are in full swing. We all agree that we wish to document 40 years of Usthi and are eagerly planning this. […]

Reconstruction, together with our partner and the population, was a complete success. Aided by the immense efforts of those affected, it was possible to ensure that housing was completed before the monsoons arrived in June. Minor reworking was still necessary, but even this was successfully concluded by the end of August. All the families were […]

The remaining equipment was delivered in March and personnel employed.  Finally, during the visit of Usthi Foundation founder Kurt Burki in April, the maternity ward was officially opened for business by the District Collector and the District Medical Officer. A few days later, the first infants were delivered in the Tribal Health Centre.  With this […]

On 5th June 2016 Swiss television channel SRF broadcasted a reportage on our reconstruction efforts in Nepal. In this short clip, Phoolmaya Waiba, single mother, tells her story and how she lost her home to the earthquake in April 2015. Together with our partners, Usthi Foundation trained local staff for building houses and successfully led […]

Summer is definitely over and autumn is coming. For us, this means reflecting on the current year, approving budgets and setting targets for 2017. Tanja Lirgg has been working for the Usthi Foundation since August to support current and future projects. She will introduce herself personally in the upcoming newsletter. As every year, the visit […]

“The only Thing constant in Life is Change. Heraclitus ’ statement from over two thousand years ago was not only applicable to Usthi in 2015. In Nepal, it only took a few seconds to change the lives of the population completely. Deeply affected by the terrible earthquake in a country where Usthi has long been […]

“The news from India and Nepal that makes the headlines in our media tends to be rather negative. However, during our Usthi visits to India and Nepal, we see a very different picture: children in the slums who spend hours in the tuition centres after school, working hard at their homework in order to later […]