Bequests and legacies - Enfants du Monde Bequests and legacies - Enfants du Monde

Bequests and Legacies

Doing Good for Future Generations

You may not have thought about it yet, but the wealth you have today could change the lives of disadvantaged children tomorrow. After thinking about your family and loved ones, you can leave part of your wealth to Enfants du Monde or designate our NGO as your beneficiary when you make your will.

Even 1% of your inheritance can make a difference in improving the lives of children and women in need in a sustainable way!

Make a bequest or include Enfants du Monde in your will

Thanks to its charitable status, bequests and inheritances received by Enfants du Monde are 100% exempt from inheritance tax.

This means that your support will go entirely to our projects and will benefit disadvantaged children and women in the countries where we work.

Draw up a will to leave a legacy to a cause that is close to your heart…

If you wish to leave part of your estate to a cause that is close to your heart, such as Enfants du Monde, it is essential to draw up a will to ensure that your last wishes are carried out. Below you will find our advice on how to do this.

On behalf of the children and women who will benefit, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

How to Write Your Will

The Different Types of Wills

There are two types of wills that are most common:

The holographic will

This is the simplest way to set out your last wishes.

It must be written entirely by hand, including the exact date of writing and your signature.

In a holographic will, you must mention all the people and/or organisations to whom you wish to leave part of your estate, providing as much information as possible, such as their full name and address, as well as the share of your estate that is intended for them.

The following elements must be included in the will:

  • The title ‘will’
  • The identity of the testator, i.e. their first names, surnames, place and date of birth
  • The revocation of any previous wills (if any)
  • The testamentary dispositions: alternatively or cumulatively, it is possible to bequeath a specific asset or amount. In this case, you must specify exactly which asset or amount (or percentage) is being transferred to which person (natural or legal) and provide the contact details of the persons designated as heirs. For Enfants du Monde, please specify: Enfants du Monde, route de Ferney 150, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex
  • The name of the executor, if you have chosen one
  • The place, year, month and day on which the will was drawn up
  • The signature of the testator at the bottom of the will, so as to cover its entire content. It is important that the testator indicates their first name(s) and surname and uses their usual signature, so as to leave no doubt as to the identity of the testator.

The public will

To draw up a public will, you must consult a public official or notary and be in the presence of two witnesses. They will write down your last wishes, have them signed by your witnesses and keep the signed document. Please note: your witnesses cannot be your legal heirs or be listed as beneficiaries in your will.

You can deposit your will free of charge at your local town hall.

Subject to the prescribed formalities, you can amend, revoke or destroy your will at any time.

Here are some standard phrases you can use if you wish to include Enfants du Monde in your will:

  • For an inheritance: ‘After payment of all inheritance shares, I wish to divide the remaining estate as follows: 50% to X (first name) Y (surname) and 50% to the charity Enfants du Monde, route de Ferney 150, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex.
  • For a bequest: ‘I bequeath to the association Enfants du Monde, route de Ferney 150, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex, the sum of CHF 1,000.

Enfants du Monde, a trusted NGO for your legacy

Enfants du Monde is proud to have been Zewo-certified since 1971. This label is awarded to organizations and institutions that manage the donations they receive transparently and efficiently. By choosing to make a bequest to our Swiss NGO, you can be sure that your support will benefit children and mothers in need and improve their access to education and healthcare in the long term.

 

Request our Bequests and Legacies Brochure

    Our Commitments
    • Use your legacy or inheritance in a transparent and judicious manner. For every £100, £88 goes directly to our projects in the field.
    • Do everything in our power to honour your specific requests regarding the allocation of your support to a particular project or country.
    • We will meet with you in complete confidentiality, if you wish, at a location of your choice, to discuss how we can improve the future of disadvantaged children and mothers with your estate.
    • We will help you learn more about our organisation by giving you a personal presentation of our programmes.
    • We will refer you to a trusted solicitor for advice, if you wish.

    Maïmouna Hamound, student, Niger

    When I was 13, a man came to ask for my hand in marriage. My mother agreed, but I didn’t want to get married. Now my mother is proud of me. She knows that if I have a job, I will find a husband very easily. But that will be for later, after I finish my studies.

     

    Revised Swiss Inheritance Law from 1 January 2023, What Does it Change?

    Swiss law sets out clear and well-defined rules on the division of estates within its territory.

    For example, it provides for a minimum amount to be left to legal heirs, known as the reserved portion.

    Legal heirs are your partner (spouse or registered partner) and your relatives (your children or, if you do not have any, your parents or even your grandparents).

    This means that when you die, you cannot leave all your assets to third parties to the detriment of your legal heirs. However, the disposable portion of your estate allows you to include other people who are dear to you, as well as charitable organisations, in your will.

    If the deceased has not drawn up a will, the estate is distributed in accordance with Swiss law. All assets are allocated exclusively to the legal heirs and, in the absence of legal heirs, the estate is transferred in its entirety to the state.

    On 1 January 2023, several changes to inheritance law in Switzerland came into effect.

    The reserved portion for descendants is now only half of the legal inheritance share, instead of the current three-quarters, and parents lose their reserved portion entirely.

    These changes allow you to freely dispose of a larger portion of your estate.

    Jérémy Carrat, a lawyer specialising in inheritance law, can answer all your questions about the implications of the inheritance law reform.

    To review your estate and find out how your inheritance will be distributed, take the inheritance check here (in German only). This will tell you the reserved portion and the free portion that you could leave to your loved ones or to organisations such as Enfants du Monde, for example.

    We would be very grateful if you would consider including our Swiss NGO in your will. Your support will help the children and pregnant women who are at the heart of our projects.

    Your Contact for Legs & Bequests

    Would you like to make a bequest or include Enfants du Monde in your will?

    Gaëlle Cuillerot, Bequests and Communications Manager, is available to answer your questions in complete discretion and confidentiality.

    Please do not hesitate to contact us.

    Phone. : +41 22 798 88 86

    Email : gaelle.cuillerot@edm.ch

    My Legacy Makes a Difference

    For example:

    With a bequest of 500 francs:

    I am donating medical equipment to healthcenters in Nepal to provide quality care for pregnant women and their newborn babies

    With a bequest of 1’000 francs:

    I am providing ongoing training in maternal and child health for 50 health workers in Bangladesh.

    With a bequest of 50’000 francs:

    I am supporting an education project in Niger that will enable 700 pupils to go to school and build 5 schools for children who have never been to school.

    I MAKE A DONATION
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