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  • Helping students find their place in the world

    We create a safe space for children to express and nurture their individuality.

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  • Our international and multi-cultural student family

    Our diverse community includes students from over 110 nationalities

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  • Our people

    Our learning community includes talented and experienced faculty and staff

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  • Personalised learning journeys

    We value each student’s individuality as well as their integration into society. Our programme of studies prepares our students for the demands of a global 21st century.

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  • Summer, autumn and winter camps for children 4 to 18 years old

    A range of activities for your child to discover, from summer to winter, ski trips to performing arts camps.

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  • A safe place to grow

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    Whether your child is joining us in Early Years or midway through their learning journey, we offer a nurturing environment that will make a huge difference to their future

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    We would love to hear from you, so that we can discuss what your child needs to thrive.

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Charity work

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  4. Charity work

Our students, staff and parents strive to make a difference in the lives of the unprivileged and vulnerable through our strong charity programme.

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Secondary students take an active role in the running of our charities, where opportunities exist for all students to participate in the many and varied events on the charity calendar. Through their charity work, students may also gain credits towards their CAS and REACH requirements.

Primary teachers together with the PFA also run various charity activities throughout the year.

The CDL Charity Committee oversees all supporting events, with the philosophy that: all fundraising is accountable, funds are transferred securely and directed to small bona fide charities where there can be a clear outcome for the intended recipients. 

Here below you can read about a few of the charity work that has been done in the past year and that is continuously happening throughout the year.

 

Watu
Watu

The origins of Watu begin in the misty fjords of Norway travelling via the beauty of Florence to the shores of Lake Leman. 

Money raised by Watu has been matched by the Righ Foundation and these funds have been used to support scholarships for talented Tanzanian students who have little or no means to pay for their continued education. 

Watu 2

WATU raises funds through regular bake sales,  greeting card sales, raffles, annual ‘Silent Auction’ (PFA), and WATU student sponsorships. WATU also receives support from School Dances and International Day. WATU has received the ECIS ‘Outreach’ Award. (ECIS stands for Education Collaborative International Schools).

 

Serenje Orphans Appeal (SOA)
SOA

SOA supports an orphanage in Zambia known as the "Serenje Orphans Children's Home" (SOCH). This orphanage has a capacity of 44 children. Each year, we raise 60% of the total running costs of approximately CHF 32,000, with the remainder being raised by another international school, St George’s British International School in Rome.

 

SOA 2

SOA offers a range of fun activities for students, parents, and staff across our school.

The ‘Middle School SOA Lock-in’ involves Middle School students raising funds by spending a night at the school to experience a taste of what life could be like without their usual food, soft bed, and electronics.

 

The ‘SOA Rocks Concert’ is a charity event in which the CDL community performs on stage in front of a diverse audience.

Moreover, other charity events include the SOA Tour du Lac and  SOA Reach for the Stars.

 

IKOKU and Emalaikat
IKOKU

IKOKU supports the efforts of the Turkana people through a charity called Emalaikat, in particular by providing clean water, sanitation, and a mobile clinic.

Emalaikat has been present in Turkana for 25 years. Its main aim is to implement projects to effectively relieve poverty and sickness. 

Emalaikat also preserves and protects good health by providing and assisting in the provision of medical care and treatment. This includes preventative healthcare and the promotion of health education, focussing on the cause of diseases. 

 

MADS (Make A Difference Society)

The aim of MADS is to try to make a difference by increasing student awareness on global and local issues, both humanitarian and environmental, and to raise funds to alleviate global and local problems. MADS supports a number of charities and associations as the needs arise and according to student wishes.

MADS logo

Students from MADS have volunteered and raised funds for La Caravane de la Solidarité which has provided much-needed food parcels to those in need as a consequence of the COVID 19 pandemic lockdowns. MADS also supports the CDL weight gain for the association Partage and helps to organize a CDL collection for the Gift Box Project for underprivileged children in Eastern Europe.

Philippe Pozzo di Borgo, made famous by the film Intouchables, kindly agreed to MADS request to come to CDL to speak to students and parents about overcoming adversity after an accident made him a tetraplegic. MADS has subsequently continued to support the Foyer Handicap in Geneva and hopes to organize more events to raise awareness.

Some recent student initiatives have included the creation of a MADS cookbook, proceeds of which will go the Lemons – a Swiss cancer research fundraising drive started by a CDL alumnus, and jewellery creation where the proceeds will go towards Schizophrenia research for the association Fondamentale.

Our recent Knitathon has provided students with the opportunity to release stress and learn a new skill. The finished products are for purchase and proceeds will be donated to all the charities that MADS supports.

 

 

Aarohan 
Aarohan - girl reading

The Aarohan charity was officially created in 2005, although it was first conceived in 2003 by Rani Patel. Faced with the consequences of the petty crime of these ‘street children’ (her car was repeatedly vandalized) Rani realised that she had to do something to help them prepare their futures. So, her journey started with 7 children with the sole aim of eradicating illiteracy.

Aarohan is a New Delhi based children’s charity that’s devoted to helping underprivileged children understand that they have a right to an education. The aim is to assist children who are not able to attend school due to exceptional personal circumstances. The work of Aarohan focuses on the ‘slum’ children of New Delhi who are forced to eke out a being homeless. These young children spend their days collecting rags and combing through rubbish heaps so that they and their families may exist.

Today Aarohan has helped over 1700 children, over 750 achieving mainstream formal schooling, helping over 350 children a year. All the children also receive a nutritious meal each day.