Cave de Genève
Photo © Au coeur du Niger
For the past twenty years, Isabelle Macheret has devoted her life to the children of Zinder, one of Niger’s poorest regions. Since 2009, she has led the Fribourg-based association “Au Cœur du Niger,” which she founded. Through it, she provides shelter, education, schooling and vocational training to street children, young mothers and albino children. To date, 1,720 children have been welcomed, and 407 are currently protected at the Centre Après-Demain, a fully Swiss-funded educational and school complex.
Niger remains one of the poorest countries in the world: nearly one in two inhabitants lives on less than CHF 2 a day, two out of three children are not enrolled in school, and one child in three dies before the age of five. In response to this reality, Isabelle Macheret left everything behind: a former banking professional, she left the sector in 2003 to join Médecins Sans Frontières, and in 2009 she founded “Au Cœur du Niger,” guided by one conviction: to prioritize the acquisition of skills over dependency.
Inaugurated in 2013 in Zinder on land made available by the municipal authorities, the Centre Après-Demain welcomes 280 children every week and employs 62 local staff members. It supports three particularly at-risk groups: orphans and street children left to beg, young mothers aged 13 to 17 rejected by their families, and albino children, who face stigma and threats and receive monthly medical follow-up. Beyond schooling, the centre trains young girls in sewing and soap-making, and organizes three annual food distributions for the poorest families.
The centre operates on a self-sufficiency model: solar panels, rainwater harvesting, a vegetable garden and goat farming help feed the children and finance part of the activities. On the financial side, 96.7% of the funds raised are channelled directly into operations on the ground, for a 2025 budget of CHF 394’500.-. The association is recognized by the authorities in Zinder, including the Governor and the Sultan of Damagaram, and has been visited by former Nigerien president Mohamed Bazoum.
« It is better to teach a child the skills to support themselves than to offer assistance that will make them dependent for life. »
— Isabelle Macheret, founder and director of the association
A call for donations for 2026
With 25% of the donations still missing to close the 2026 budget, the association is appealing to the generosity of the public and businesses. Individuals and companies can sponsor a child from CHF 45.- per month, make a one-off donation or become a partner. Donations are tax-deductible.
Donations: Banque Raiffeisen Moléson · IBAN CH60 8080 8007 5471 6269 1
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