ASED’s core mission is to improve access to education for children and teenagers of underprivileged backgrounds. ASED has always made a clear statement to defend the right to education around the world.
Its main strategic objective is to promote access to education, to give future generations the means to care for themselves in a sustainable way. Thus will they be able to contribute to the development of their families, regions and country.
Value added by ASED :
. Expertise in management of development projects with a focus on education and childhood
. Dedicated commitment to the cause of children throughout the world
. Network of resource persons and donors in Switzerland and abroad
. ZEWO-certified quality and effectiveness
. Mechanism for systematic oversight , monitoring and evaluation.
Areas of intervention since 30 years // ASED follows its mission according to the fundamental principles of its ethical chart. Free from any religious, political or racial bindings, ASED works around the world, wherever the need is most critical. It is led by professionals, with objectives of sustainability and respect of local culture. The work ASED does in country aims to fight against discrimination and corruption, through a rigorous follow-up of each project development.
Alexandre Munafò, President of the ASED committee
He is in charge of strategic partnerships and responsible for the communication of the International “Interpeace” Organisation in Geneva. Read the last article about Alexandre Munafò: «Il faut réinventer les manières de faire la paix» on Le Temps >
ASED was founded on 12 December 1988, on the banks of the Aegean Sea. Maryam and Jean-Luc Nicollier met 2 shantytown children in Izmir, who made a living of waxing shoes for tourists. Their first thought is to give them money as long as they go to school. Today, those kids, who have learnt to saw, own a shop at the Izmir bazar. They contribute, thus, to the development of their family, community and country. Since then, ASED has been working every day to grant the right to education.
Tal Schibler
Vice-president
Attorney at law, DGE Partners
Esther Bares Vice-president, Manager RSE
Marc Fassbind Treasurer
Hotelkeeper, fassbindhotels.ch
Patrick Nicollier Secretary Director of Human Resources, HUG
Manuelle Pernoud Member Producer, journalist and presenter of A Bon Entendeur magazine, RTS
Nicolas Junod
Member
Owner of Nicolas Junod Editions
+ Honorific members
Jean-Luc Nicollier, Former filming Director at the Swiss National Television and ASED Founder
Maryam Nicollier, ASED Founder
Prof. Dr. Claude Nicollier, Fighter pilot, Astronaut at the European Space Agency and Professor at EPFL in Lausanne
Employees
At the Geneva office
The Geneva Headquarters are in charge of setting up new projects in close collaboration with beneficiaries and partners on the ground. They also manage the monitoring of the on-going projects and provide technical and administrative support to local coordinators. Finally, the headquarters secures the link between projects and donors.
Clarita Martinet Fay, Director
Holder of a degree in archeology, Clarita has worked as an archeologist for 10 years before joining the Ramsar Convention. Later she joined the World Conservation Union where she worked on projects and programmes for the conservation of humid areas as well as for the protection of the environment worldwide. Thereafter she has worked for the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) before joining ASED in 2010.
Monica Sanchez Bermudez
Programme manager
Specialised in human rights, Monica has 15 years of work experience in the managament and the provision of technical support to humanitarian and development programmes. She worked with organisations such as the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Delegation of the European Union and has vast field experience gained mainly in Sudan, South Sudan and Gaza. She joined the ASED team in September 2018.
Gwendoline Defrance
Communication and fundraising manager – administration
She joined the ASED team in December 2018.
ASED in country
ASED works in-country, in collaboration with local organisations sharing its objectives and values. ASED benefits from their knowledge of local environment and competencies to ensure sustainability of its projects. For more information on our partners, go to our projects pages.
ASED Country manager in India
ASED Country manager in Burkina Faso
ASED Country manager in Madagascar
+ To know
Recognition / Geneva Canton fiscal authorities have certified ASED to be of public use (d’utilité publique) since 1990. ASED is therefore freed from its taxation obligations and the donations received are fiscally exonerated.
Certification / ASED is officially recognized for its trustworthy NGO management since 2003. The Zewo quality label offers a guarantee that its funds are meticulously and ethically managed, through regular controls. This label attests that donations are appropriately used and that ASED is financially sustainable.