The quiet strength of those who give selflessly

Every year, La Maison welcomes nearly 180 seriously ill children, mainly from Africa, to receive essential care that is unavailable in their home countries. Such a mission could not exist without the enthusiasm and loyalty of the many volunteers who support it. Some look after the children on a daily basis. Others organise charity events that ensure this work can continue in the long term.

In Valais, as well as in other regions of Switzerland such as Schwyz and Längis, groups are rallying in support of La Maison, driven by the same conviction: what they receive often goes far beyond what they came to give. Because volunteering not only transforms destinies; it also transforms the men and women who choose to get involved.

By Valérie Pellissier

A meeting that changes everything

In Massongex, everything often starts around a conversation, or in those little details that sometimes guide a path. Amanda Cotter, then a student in children’s rights, discovered La Maison through a simple leaflet she spotted in a corridor. A discreet invitation led her to walk through its doors as a trainee educator, without yet realising just how profoundly this immersion would affect her.

Very quickly, a deep bond formed, both with the young residents – who had been taken in far from their families to receive specialist medical care – and with this unique world that she came to understand as the days went by. Amanda shares their daily lives, becoming a reassuring presence for them during a time marked by separation and illness. What strikes her is their ability to adapt, to keep going despite everything, with a quiet strength in the face of trials that few adults could bear. She learns to be there for them, fully, without always being able to fix things.

From this experience, what she takes away above all is the human side: “The encounters, the bonds that are forged… and that strong sense of working together for a cause that is so close to our hearts”, she says with conviction. Over the years, she has also become involved at an institutional level, as a member of the Foundation Board. Today, her commitment continues in a different way, as part of the Valais volunteers’ committee. Fifteen years on, she is still there, haunted by the faces and stories that have left their mark on her. And since she became a mom, that feeling has grown even stronger, as if time has given the journey she has taken a new resonance.

A presence that makes a difference

Alongside Amanda, Georges-Alain Claret is wholeheartedly committed to organising bingo games, setting up events and running stalls in support of La Maison. These roles are sometimes behind the scenes, but they are essential, contributing directly to raising the profile of the organisation’s mission. “Being a volunteer is, above all, being a link in a wonderful chain of solidarity that, in practical terms, saves lives”, he says enthusiastically. “My first visit to La Maison still sticks in my memory. Behind the smiles lies the reality of the illness. Everything then takes on a different dimension, and you fully understand the meaning of this commitment”, he adds.

“My first visit to La Maison still sticks in my memory. Behind the smiles lies the reality of the illness. Everything then takes on a different dimension, and you fully understand the meaning of this commitment.”

Georges-Alain Claret, member of the Valais volunteers committee

The same drive over the years

For Elisabeth Lehmann, it all began almost by chance, at the “Foire du Valais”. Having recently retired, she stopped at La Maison’s stand, run by volunteers, drawn to it without really knowing why. It was then that it became clear: this was the right moment. Fifteen years have passed, and she continues to coordinate up to fifty volunteers at this event with the same dedication. It is a responsibility she takes on with unwavering energy, fuelled by the relationships she has built up over the years. What she remembers most of all are the faces: those of the children, of course, but also those of the volunteers and the teams at La Maison, with whom she shares a genuine bond.

Throughout her career, she also discovered the role of escort, which involves accompanying children between their country of origin, the airport and Swiss hospitals. It was an experience that stays with her. “These children would cling to me with immediate trust, seeking a point of reference in a world that was foreign to them”, she says. Each journey then becomes a moment filled with humanity, made of laughs, new discoveries, but also, sometimes, with difficult separations.

Even today, Elisabeth continues her work with the same conviction: every gesture, however small, has its place and contributes to what really matters.

Giving meaning, together

For Carlo Carletti, chair of the Schwyz volunteers group supporting La Maison, it all starts with an intimate experience: that of a parent facing illness. Accompanying his own child to the operating room leaves an indelible mark. Very quickly, taking action became a necessity – not only to move forward, but also, in his own way, to say thank you. Together with his team, he organises events that bring people together: a sponsored cross-country ski race, a Christmas market and a charity trail run. But beyond the organisation itself, what moves him most are those moments when everyone gives their best for a cause that transcends them. He remembers those young people completing lap after lap on their skis, driven by a palpable collective energy. And that simple, spontaneous question that always comes up at the end: ‘Shall we do it again?’

In this shared mobilization, he finds what gives meaning to his involvement: “Feeling useful, in the right place, and being able to contribute to something greater than oneself”, he explains.

“Feeling useful, in the right place, and being able to contribute to something greater than oneself.”

Carlo Carletti, chair of the Schwyz volunteers group

The power of community

In Längis, this commitment is lived out with the same intensity. Mariella Peter is helping to organise a cross-country ski race, held exclusively in aid of La Maison and its mission with sick children, alongside a close-knit team. Here, everyone naturally finds their place within a well-oiled system where every detail counts. These are those repeated, often invisible gestures that give the whole endeavour its coherence and strength.

What particularly strikes her are those moments when participants take the time to thank the volunteers, sometimes with a very personal sincerity. It is an unexpected gesture of appreciation, which serves as a reminder that the spirit of generosity flows both ways. “You get this sense of belonging to a shared movement, where small actions, carried out together, take on a whole new dimension”, she says with a smile. Over the years, this race has become a firmly established event in the region.

Giving and receiving, without expecting anything in return

The volunteers talk about meetingss, usefulness, meaning. But behind these words unfolds an even more intimate reality, one that is experienced more than it is told.

At La Maison, volunteering is characterised by discretion and consistency, by those simple, repeated attentions which, when added together, change lives. In every moment spent there, in every glance, with every child, something takes shape. A bond, often invisible, but fundamental.

These big-hearted volunteers give their time generously. And they usually leave transformed, enriched by far more than what they came to offer.

What if, in turn, you joined this engaged community? At La Maison, every presence counts.

Pass the baton

Over time, some journeys come to an end to make way for new energy. Such is the life of a community, sustained by those who commit to it, each in their own way.

Frédéric Nouchi and Isabelle Savarelli have recently stepped down from the Valais volunteers’ committee. Through their loyal presence, their constant dedication and their sense of community, they have contributed, day after day, to keeping this chain of solidarity alive.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to them. For the time they gave, for the inspiration they provided, and for their generosity, often shown in quiet ways. Their time with us has left a lasting mark on the life of La Maison and on the journey of many children.