The summer season is drawing to a close and many of us have recharged their energy levels. But as for our planet, it is still being depleted. Or rather we are continuing to exhaust it. However, on the other hand, a growing number of people are also taking more and more care of it, perhaps as a result of a rising awareness of our duty to preserve it for future generations. It is this message of optimism that drives us at Equestrio Foundation and that has guided us through the first half of 2023.
Let’s take a look back at these last few months, filled with projects for the protection of the environment and wildlife, with Alicia Heiniger.
New rendez-vous at the heart of the action
The start of 2023 has been marked by a strengthening of our presence in the field and the launch of “Equestrio Foundation in Action”.
A new video series
The aim of this new video series with an insider format is to renew the way in which we promote projects in their second or third year of partnership, going back over the days I spend in the field volunteering with project sponsors. You may have already discovered our adventures with Elephant Haven or the Centre Athénas, and you’ll get to dive right into the heart of the action with our new episodes at Plantons Utile and the Association for the Safeguard of Lake Geneva, coming soon.
A search for authenticity
Although the primary mission of Equestrio Foundation is to fund projects, this year I was very eager to get closer to the people out in the field doing hands-on work every day. The quality of the bond I develop with the people I work with is at the core of my approach to philanthropy and it is essential for me to establish close-knit and authentic relationships with the project leaders we fund. It’s also the best way to monitor the tangible impact of our donations and to identify new needs for targeted support.
New projects
Continuity and new partnerships: these are the two guiding principles for our actions during the first half of 2023.
Building long-term partnerships
Continuity with partnerships that we pursue, with pleasure and success. Our aim is to support the associations over an average of three years in order to have a sustainable impact.
We have thus renewed our support to ASL with the production of four new videos of the humorous web series “Stand-Up Paddle” staring Thibaud Agoston, and Plantons Utile in Senegal with, among other things, a new mangrove reforestation operation.
Diversifying our support
New partnerships, as well, to diversify our actions.
Since the beginning of 2023, we have been supporting animal protection projects such as the Sauvetage Faons Jura bernois association, which provides farmers with a free drone service to spot fawns in their fields before hay cutting, and YouCare for its “Nouvelle Vie” program, which aims to save stray animals on the Réunion island and which we will be presenting to you shortly.
In line with our strategy, in the first half of 2023 we are also focusing our support on the environment, and in particular on our mountains, with Mountain Riders’ “Zero Waste Mountain” project, which aims to clean up the plastic pollution on our summits.
Partnerships that are coming to an end
The beginning of this year has also been the time for our first goodbyes…
After three years working together, we have come to the end of our support for Elephant Haven and Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre. I’m proud to have contributed to their mission through our funding.
The commitment and generosity of the people upholding these projects have been a real source of inspiration and have strengthened my conviction that each action counts. Given the work they’ve done and the impact they’ve had, there’s not a single doubt about this! They are now looking for new sponsors… you perhaps?
These new projects, these encounters, these experiences in the field, and the satisfaction of having a tangible impact on the world around us… all this fuels my optimism and my determination to continue our work with associations on a human scale with whom we can develop strong relationships. Now it’s time for autumn and new adventures. Don’t hesitate to join us, your action and your donations count.