The Hubert Tuor Foundation, in collaboration with the University of Geneva, has launched the initiative “A New Life” as part of its contribution to supporting students.

The programme has several objectives. First, it aims to offer French language courses, university summer schools and grants to young people who are students. Second, it aims to collect and recondition computers and redistribute them to people who need machines in good working order for their studies or their projects.

Communication is essential

The HTF is contributing to support for migrants by helping young people from any country of origin to become integrated in Switzerland. The first step in integration is learning the language, the ability to provide evidence of their level of education or the provision of tools for an apprenticeship or a job.

The HTF is working, with a range of partners, to respond individually to the needs of each person, whether they are young people studying or people developing a personal or professional project.  Each application is considered with reference to the specific needs of the young person, whether for an intensive French course, a grant for university, a summer catch-up course, or the gift of a computer. The HTF is sure that, in line with the Foundation’s philosophy, beneficiaries will in the future give back to others what they are receiving today.

Collection of computers

By donating your old computers (any brand, in any condition), you will enable a Swiss or foreign student to work with suitable equipment.

The Hubert Tuor has joined forces with the HUG private Foundation to support a project aimed at parents and designed to improve care for young patients in the paediatric emergency department in Geneva.

A digital solution to help patients

The INFOKIDS app has been designed so that parents of sick children can get in touch with the paediatric emergency service at the HUG (Geneva University Hospitals) as soon as their child first shows symptoms.

Thanks to INFOKIDS, patients will be able to access a complete, three-stage care package:

Before

– Access to general health information on the most frequent childhood illnesses and whether the child needs to see a health professional.

– The ability to announce their arrival and complete the administrative paperwork in advance.

During

– A dynamic screen tells each patient how much longer they will need to wait, in real time.
– The ability to leave the HUG and get a text message with the time of their appointment.

After

– A record of the appointment is sent to the parents by e-mail. This includes full information about their child’s illness, how it is likely to develop and details of the treatment, based on the diagnosis made.

The power of information technologies

The FHT was impressed by the project, which uses new technologies to help young children and their parents feel better, at times that are often anxious and stressful for them.

The development of the application shows that, in a world where research into artificial intelligence and robotics is in full swing, digital connections offer interactions with high added value, without taking anything away from our emotional relationships.

Thanks to the INFOKIDS app, young patients and their families at the HUG will get better-quality care and more coordinated follow-up.

If you like the idea too, tell other people and download the app for free now!

http://www.hug-ge.ch/sciences-de-linformation-medicale/infokids

http://www.hug-ge.ch/applications-mobiles/infokids

For iPhone from the Apple Store 

For Android phones from Google Play

la cédille, a special place for children with dysphasia to study and learn

Dysphasia is a structural, primary and long-lasting language disorder. It manifests itself in early childhood and is characterized by difficulties in being understood by those around them. In geneva, thanks to the center la cédille, a private and independent association, children suffering from dysphasia have a dedicated place.

A place dedicated to a little-known disorder

Until the opening of the La Cédille center in September 2016, children and young people with this disability were not specifically catered for in Geneva. Thanks to a group of concerned parents, who also founded AGTL (l’Association Genevoise des Troubles Spécifiques du Langage), these children can now flourish and benefit from appropriate educational support.

In collaboration with their own teachers from the public or private sector, and in agreement with the Département de l’Instruction Publique (DIP), children aged 8 to 16 receive a different and individualized education at La Cédille. Specialized teachers and health professionals (speech therapists, psychologists, occupational therapists, psychomotor therapists) use image- and gesture-based methods to help them blossom, gain autonomy and develop their potential.

Encouraging a wonderful project

The HTF was keen to support this initiative and participate in the development of this center, which goes a long way to filling the gap in terms of facilities for this disability. Working in close collaboration with the HUG and the Faculty of Psychology, this project will hopefully serve as a model for other towns and cantons.

www.lacedille.ch

http://www.rts.ch/la-1ere/programmes/on-en-parle/8621708-dysphasie-et-soutien-scolaire-29-05-2017.html?f=player/popu

Read the article in the OMP gazette

FHT & DFDL, a nice meeting between two foundations

The Hubert Tuor Foundation (FHT) and the Dr Henri Dubois-Ferrière Dinu Lipatti Foundation (DFDL) share common values and objectives. In light of its involvement in projects that support training and research in scientific and medical areas, it was natural for the FHT to take an interest in the projects funded by the DFDL. The closer relationship between the two foundations has crystallised around an important and meaningful cause: children suffering from leukaemia or lymphoma, for whom more sophisticated cellular therapies than a bone marrow transplant represent a fantastic hope, namely prolonged remission. These highly specialised treatments are currently available in a few centres in North America and Europe, but not yet in Switzerland.

Ensuring they are effective means that university centres need to acquire both organisational and medical expertise to be able to offer people these innovative treatments. With this in mind, a close working relationship has been established with the pioneering team of experts at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. Exchanges between fellow professionals will help Geneva to remain at the cutting edge of cellular therapy, to offer innovative treatments that offer strong potential for a cure. The Paediatric Onco-haematology Unit at HUG has chosen Dr Fanette Bernard, senior physician in the unit and former senior registrar, to take part in the exchange. Her skills and experience in this area make her the perfect candidate to work with the transplant team at Great Ormond Street Hospital, to complete her training in this cutting-edge area.

The FHT has therefore joined forces with the DFDL to support this important project, which will support efforts to fight leukaemia and other blood diseases. DFDL NIGHT, a fund-raising evening dedicated to the cause, took place on 16 October 2018. All the profits will be used to develop innovative cellular therapies for children suffering from leukaemia or lymphoma and the FHT was delighted to take part.

The Mintaka Foundation, created in 2005 by three professors in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Geneva, aims to find solutions to health problems in developing countries and to provide technological solutions to those who are most disadvantaged. It is a mission that the Hubert Tuor Foundation (FHT) was keen to support.

Making projects accessible to as many people as possible

In Western countries, we have access to all the benefits of medical progress. Medicines and treatments that have been developed following often long-term research and advanced clinical trials are systematically offered to Western patients. Thanks to these medicines, the risks of diseases or consequences following surgery are significantly reduced, screening allows for better diagnosis of conditions and the quality of care delivered is excellent.

In developing countries, however, patients suffering from the same diseases do not have access to the treatments we have here. In fact, whether it is for economic, social or sometimes sanitation-related reasons, these people lack adequate access to essential care and do not benefit from the technological advances developed in wealthy countries.

A different kind of support

It is against this background that the Mintaka Foundation works to ensure that existing solutions are developed, both technically and economically, in line with the needs of poor countries to reduce health disparities to a minimum.

The FHT was keen to contribute to the fight by helping the Mintaka Foundation to identify funding sources, by providing the resources needed to develop the right communications tools to raise awareness of the Mintaka cause as widely as possible. The aim is to identify the necessary resources to achieve its admirable mission successfully.

More info at:

http://www.mintakafoundation.org

GirlsCoding is an association established in Lausanne by a group of engineers and researchers from the école polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne so that more women worldwide will take jobs in information technology.

The problem

The many stereotypes and the lack of role models mean that young women often do not consider IT options when making their career choices (currently only 14% of EPFL IT students are women), although technical and engineering skills offer the jobs of the future in a world where digitalisation is affecting every area. As the GirlsCoding slogan, “Coding is the future, I am part of it!” suggests, skills linked to understanding of IT languages will in future be essential in many sectors.

The solution

The GirlsCoding Association was set up with the aim of encouraging girls to take an interest in jobs related to IT. Through practical workshops, offline activities and programming exercises, girls aged 9 to 16 are familiarised with and trained in computational thinking and coding. They learn to create their own algorithms because coding is a way of thinking that has to be acquired and, while the language of IT can be learned at any age, it is easiest for the very young to develop a new way of thinking.

FHT’S involvement

FHT wishes to contribute to tackling the stereotypes and clichés too often faced by young girls. That is why it has signed up as the principal partner for this important project, and will help the association to develop its plans, both at strategic level and in terms of tools for communication and commercial development.

In the press

Discover the profile of Marta Martinez-Camara, Girlscoding cofounder and CEO, published in “Digital Shapers”, a special edition in the paper Le Temps which presents the 100 figures in Switzerland who had a key role in the thought about the digitalisation of our country.

More information

girlcoding.org

On Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

The Hubert Tuor Foundation is proud to actively support Co³libri, a project connected with the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), the University’s Faculty of Medicine and the private Foundation of the Geneva University Hospitals.

Its aim is to prepare children who need surgery and their parents for a medical intervention, and to promote communication and trust between the child, his family, doctors and care teams by making good use of new technologies when sharing information in a playful and educational way.

Information – key to successful care

When a child needs surgery, having a clear understanding of the disease and the necessary therapeutic processes is paramount for the child and his family.

To help the child and his family to overcome fears about the illness and its treatment, to help them make the right decisions, providing clear and easily understandable information is of vital importance.

However, information becomes a delicate undertaking when the patient is a child, for the medical staff and the child do not share the same level of knowledge, or the same language.

The Co³libri project was born out of this awareness.

Making good use of new technologies when sharing information in a playful and educational way

Recognising that communicating with patients in a clear and easily understandable way is important, the Co³libri project proposes a modern and recreational tool to facilitate and reinforce communication between the child, his family, the doctors and the care teams.

To help practitioners communicate with their patients, both in terms of content and form, Co³libri will be developing specific educational software. With the help of interactive tables, doctors and their teams will be able to present the child’s medical file in a recreational way and explain every stage of intervention with videos and pictures.

The Co³libri project is supported by a highly motivated team of doctors and care staff, and by two project leaders at the forefront of their respective areas of expertise: Professor Barbara Wildhaber, chief physician of the paediatric surgery division, and Professor Christian Lovis, chief physician of the medical information service.

This team will be involved in all project stages, both during the development of the project and the training period, in order to extend Co³libri by 2015, to other diseases or services and thus promoting the patients’ therapeutic education.

A natural synergy has developed between the Hubert Tuor Foundation and the Hue Children’s Foundation, founded in 2004 thanks to the involvement and devotion of Father Patrick-Marie Sérafini.

The aim of the Hue Children’s Foundation

The aim of Hue Children’s Foundation is to provide voluntary assistance to children and young people who live in conditions of extreme poverty in the city of Hue, Vietnam. This assistance, provided every day by nuns, meets the nutritional, educational, social and health needs of many children.

From 2004 to Today

Over the years, the role of the Hue Children’s Foundation has taken on various concrete forms. In addition to the two meals provided every day, 283 high school diplomas have been awarded, and support has been given to more than 750 young people in their applications for scholarships. The Hue Children’s Foundation has also implemented a number of major projects: the construction, in 2012, of a nursery school (Bich Truc), attended by 530 children; the opening of a clinic, which receives patients from the region twice a week, and the construction of a retirees’ home for 50 residents, as well as various works of public interest for many small local communities.

Hue Bethany Home

The Hubert Tuor Foundation will participate in the Hue Children’s Foundation’s next major project through its support for the construction of a Students’ Home, which will provide accommodation for scholarship holders coming from rural areas in a living environment conducive to intellectual work. The facility will include a low-cost internal restaurant with the capacity to serve each resident two meals a day. The building will be inaugurated in the summer of 2016.

More information

Student housing for the foundation (project in progress)

The Children of Hue

THE HUBERT TUOR FOUNDATION CANNOT RECEIVE FUNDS ON BEHALF OF THE CHILDREN OF HUÊ. PLEASE SEND YOUR DONATIONS DIRECTLY TO THE HUÊ CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION.

The Hubert Foundation is taking part in HelloMask, a research project run by the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne – EPFL in conjunction with the Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology.

The inspiration behind the project was the experience of Diane Bataard, a storyteller for sick children.

Working with young patients who were in hospital for serious illnesses and needing complex treatments, she observed what an extremely anxious experience hospitalisation was for children.

The power of a smile

The HelloMask project came out of this realisation and the importance of being able to establish a relationship of trust between young patients and the people caring for them. It is widely accepted that these relationships are based not only on verbal relationships but also non-verbal communication, gestures, attitudes and above all, facial expressions.

Childhood cancer is a source of huge psychological stress for children and their parents, not only as a life-threatening disease but also because of the complexity of treatment. Every day, carers witness expressions of distress in their patients both at the point of diagnosis and throughout the treatment process.

For these children, being surrounded by strangers wearing masks is another source of anxiety that could be mitigated with a simple smile.

A new type of mask

The aim of the HelloMask project is to develop a transparent mask that would allow patients to see the faces of their carers and visitors. By establishing less stressful relationships with the people around them in the hospital, young patients’ overall condition could be significantly improved.

Apart from being used in our hospitals, this type of mask could also be used in other parts of the world where there are conflicts or epidemics like the Ebola virus, which needed carers to cover their face and body completely when approaching patients.

Further research to make the project a reality

HelloMask recently won the first Debiopharm-Inartis Challenge Prize

2016 (http://challenges.inartis.ch), for “Patient quality of life during treatment”.

The award has allowed the HelloMask team to carry out preliminary tests to confirm the technical feasibility of the approach.

The success of the project will now rely on developing and using a new type of material that is both transparent and acts as a filter: a real technological challenge that the FHT is keen to help tackle.

More info at:

https://actu.epfl.ch/news/le-projet-hello-mask-remporte-le-challenge-debio-3/

Bruno Jelk has dedicated all of his life to saving other people’s lives. The Hubert Tuor Foundation wishes to work alongside him by contributing a part of the financial support needed for his projects, as was recently the case in Nepal.

Mountain rescue: a vocation

Bruno is a native of Fribourg, but an adopted citizen of Valais since the time he first came to this canton at the age of 16 for training as a border guard. After that, he never left and he discovered his vocation as a mountain rescuer in the shadow of the Matterhorn.

Today, at the age of 70, Bruno Jelk is a reference figure in the field of mountain rescue, both for his expertise in helicopter rescue missions and for his determination in promoting his inventions, which include a special stretcher and a tripod winch used for lowering a rescuer into deep crevices to recover victims.

From the Matterhorn to Nepal

Thanks to Bruno Jelk, helicopter rescues developed quickly in Nepal and, for the specific purpose of providing the necessary training to Nepalese rescuers, the “Alpine Rescue Foundation, Zermatt” (ARF, Zermatt) was established in 2011, as a joint project of Rettungsstation Zermatt and Air Zermatt. Thanks to this initiative and the valuable help of Bruno Jelk, ARF’s Vice-President, Nepal now has its own independent, operational and effective mountain rescue team.

A natural collaboration arrangement

To improve the effectiveness and safety of high mountain rescue missions, the need to establish closer links between the rescuers and the medical teams operating in Lukhla soon became evident. This collaboration led to the launch of a larger project: LUHMA (Lukhla Helicopter Medical assistance).

During Air Zermatt’s latest mission in Nepal, we set up a local rescue system. Now we want to do something more for the local population that welcomed us with open arms, he said in 2011. Since then he has pioneered a helicopter route to supply isolated villages with food.

A region in diree need

Following the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal last April, Bruno Jelk’s activities in that country have become more indispensable thane ever.

Since April, he and his team have stepped up their missions in the most remote villages, like those located in the Tsum Valley, to which all access by road had been cut. In some villages, all of the houses had been destroyed and the people had lost, not only their family members, but also all the few possessions they formerly had. Thanks to the helicopters flown by Bruno Jelk’s team, supplies and first aid are now reaching these poor isolatede people.

Thus, over a number of weeks, the village of Kergia has been supplied with 800 kg of food and solar panels, the village of Chhekampar has received 4000 kg of basic supplies, the hospital in Lukhla has brought its laboratory back into operation, and the Rachen Gompa monastery has received five deliveries for a total of 3000 kg of food, 500 kg of clothing and 800 litres of kerosene for distribution to nearbye villages.

Continuing the effort

Bruno Jelk’s determination does not lessen with the passing of time, and the same is true for the Hubert Tuor Foundation! That is why FHT continues today and will continue tomorrow to support the initiatives of this exceptional man in its efforts to help those who need it most.

More info at:

Bruno Jelk’s Facebook page

Pictures

The Hubert Tuor Foundation is proud to support awareness about type 1 diabetes by contributing to the printing of three books for children with diabetes: Les colères de Lisa, Lisa et les mouchoirs de maman, and Lisa et le diabidule. Printed in 200 copies each, these books are offered free of charge thanks to the Foundation’s commitment.

Among them, Lisa et le diabidule addresses the onset of type 1 diabetes symptoms in children in a simple and educational way. Through the questions posed by Lisa’s classmates, this story delivers essential messages: diabetes is not contagious, it’s important to respect everyone’s snacks, and how to react if a diabetic child feels unwell.

These stories are designed to be read at home, as well as in classrooms and daycare centers, to educate young children, encourage inclusion, and foster a supportive environment for children with type 1 diabetes.

Discover the books: https://lamalletteeducative.com/produit/lisa-et-le-diabidule/

The Hubert Tuor Foundation is proud to support the Namib Sky Community School project, an early childhood development center and primary school located in Sossusvlei, Namibia.

In this desert region, isolated from cities and without public transportation, accessing quality education remains a challenge for many children. The school provides free, inclusive education, complemented by a balanced nutrition program, enabling children to reach their full potential.

In addition, the Namib Sky Community School actively supports the parents of its students by offering personal development programs such as parenting workshops, health and hygiene training, and skill-building activities through a sewing workshop and a computer learning center. Through this holistic approach, the Foundation helps build a brighter future for children and their families and advances the fundamental right to education.

Learn more and support Namib Sky: https://namibskycommunity.org

The Hubert Tuor Foundation has been committed for several years alongside the Swiss association Simba for Kids, which works to provide access to education for many Kenyan children.

Simba for Kids, led by Julien Lyon and Lavina Achieng, operates at the heart of this region to improve the living conditions of children, also supporting families and promoting the empowerment of women through education and local projects. By uniting the efforts of local and international partners, Simba for Kids is building a society founded on mutual assistance and respect.

We warmly invite those who wish to contribute to this mission to join us. To learn more and to sponsor a child, visit www.simbaforkids.ch.

EssentialTech Centre: Innovating for a Sustainable Future

The Foundation is proud to support the EssentialTech Centre, an entity of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), renowned for its unique and pioneering approach. At the intersection of science, technology, and human needs, EssentialTech develops sustainable solutions to tackle major challenges in vulnerable contexts worldwide.

The FHT’s commitment reflects a shared ambition with the EssentialTech Centre: harnessing the power of science and technology for positive and lasting impact. 

Mission and Approach

In alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, the EssentialTech Centre focuses on three main pillars:  

– Sustainable development,  

– Humanitarian action,  

– Peace promotion.  

This vision is built on an interdisciplinary, entrepreneurial, and inclusive approach, working closely with local stakeholders. Each project incorporates innovative technologies, viable economic models, and expertise in systems engineering to ensure tangible and lasting impacts.  

The GlobalViewAid Project: Restoring Independence to People with Visual Impairments

The Foundation specifically supports GlobalViewAid, an ambitious project aimed at improving the autonomy and mobility of visually impaired or blind individuals living in low- and middle-income countries.  

With nearly 90% of visually impaired people living in poverty without access to assistive tools, this project is developing a robust, accessible navigation system tailored to local constraints. In collaboration with disability organizations and international researchers, GlobalViewAid offers:  

• Technology integrating sensors, computational analyses, and adapted interfaces.  
• A participatory approach involving partners from Africa, Latin America, and Europe.  
• A sustainable strategy, including the creation of a social start-up to ensure long-term impact.  

This project represents a true revolution for millions of visually impaired individuals deprived of opportunities for independence and mobility.  

Corail, a unique center in geneva for the treatment of rare diseases in children

A personalized care pathway and long-term support

The Interdisciplinary Coordination and Care Center for Rare and Complex Childhood Diseases (CORAIL) was established in early 2023. The center welcomes children from an early age up to 18 years old in order to establish a diagnosis and coordinate a care pathway ensuring a close collaboration with all those involved in the child’s and family’s care.

After an initial assessment, the child’s needs are evaluated, the necessary specialists are identified for consulting, and an appropriate care program is developed.

High-quality multidisciplinary care

The objectives of the CORAIL Center to improve the management of rare and complex diseases in children and adolescents are as follows:

• Establish a precise care itinerary for each patient.
• Ensure clinical follow-up for each patient.
• Organize the coordination of specialists involved in the care, ensuring the transmission of information.
• Make every effort to diagnose the disease.

The care of children and their families at the CORAIL Center is multidimensional, including medical, social, familial, and educational aspects. The care team, consisting of doctors, nurses, psychologists, and social workers, offers numerous services, such as planning exams and treatments, multidisciplinary consultations with various specialists, referral to experts for certain diseases, as well as family support and training and support workshops.

To mark its 10th anniversary, the FHT wanted a large-scale project that could sustainably embody its commitment to innovative and promising programs. This wish has been realized through the CORAIL Center, and we are very pleased about it!

The international consortium for prevention and infection control (ICPIC), sponsored by the world health organization, takes place in geneva every two years and brings together 1,500 participants from all over the world to share their knowledge and experience in preventing infection and control of antimicrobial resistance.

Staying vigilant and sharing knowledge

In spite of the progress made in combating infection and efforts around prevention, opportunities to share ideas remain essential, since antimicrobial resistance continues to present a threat to all countries.

The need to share knowledge and experience in this field therefore remains unchanged, and the ICPIC brings more experts and opinion leaders in this area together every year.

Innovation Academies

Alongside the many presentations, round tables, discussions, and workshops, the ICPIC has also created the “Innovation Academies”. Throughout the conference, Innovation Academy participants present their research in the fields of preventing the risk of infection, resistance, behavioral change, materials, and other methods of prevention on various occasions and in a range of different forms.

The Hubert Tuor Prize

Since 2015, Sylvie Tuor, President of the Hubert Tuor Foundation, has proudly participated in the ICPIC Innovation Academy. At each edition, she presents the Hubert Tuor Prize to the winners, recognizing exemplary and inspiring initiatives.

ICPIC Innovation Academy – 2023 –Hubert Tuor Prize

The HTF participated in the 2023 session of the ICPIC Innovation Academy, as it has done for several years now.

President Sylvie Tuor was present to honor the three winners of this promotion by presenting the Huber Tuor Prize:

1^ST PRIZE: IA15
Establishment of loop mediated isothermal amplification assay for the surveillance of multi-drug resistance markers in p.vivax clinical isolates and chloroquine transporter markers in p.falciparum clinical isolates
Davinder Kaur (India)

2^ND PRIZE: IA12
Innovation can verify reproducible high-level disinfection outcomes from manual processes introduction
Jincy Jerry (Ireland)

3^RD PRIZE: IA3
Hand hygiene with AI-powered interactive training and testing tool (HAND3T)
Jincy Jerry (Ireland)

More information

• ICPIC Website
• ICPIC Facebook

COVID&MOI, A WEBSITE CREATED BY YOUNG PEOPLE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Within the context of the COVID-19, Professor Pittet, our famous epidemiologist and infectologist from HUG, requested his medical students to develop a website dedicated mainly to young target audiance. The aim was to sensitize young people with the problems related to COVID-19, raising their awareness of the importance of the issues, teaching correct reflexes, through a preventive and informativ platform. After a first phase of research, interviews and analysis with the target, Professor Pittet’s students has developed a clear, didactic, fun website, providing answers to questions and needs in a youth-friendly environment: a website created by young people for your people, a nice and useful project, which the FHT is delighted to participate.

www.covidetmoi.com