Social enterprise at Surval is popular - helping girls develop their entrepreneurial skills through initiatives which change the world for the better. Inspiring a way of life for the whole school, with charity at its heart, social enterprise is a core value for Surval
Our student-led Charities Committee is a driving force, with fundraising flair delivering a long list of charitable events throughout the school year. Surval girls believe that charity is much more than just money and giving aid; it is about the intention behind giving and sharing, raising a spirit, mindset and sense of responsibility for the world – charity in our own countries as well as looking outwards to see what we can do to help others, as citizens of a global world.
Surval girls volunteer locally at French-speaking Cartons de Coeur, Le Byron and L’etape and work hard to raise money and participate in our annual Habitat for Humanity project in Kenya. Surval helps families affected by rare genetic diseases, cleft-palette and spinal cord injury; we have built a house for a disadvantaged Kenyan family; supported volunteers giving hope to those devastated by worldwide natural disasters. Highlights include Starbucks deliveries, mammoth baking sessions and cake-sales, Surval’s annual gala Dinner, water balloon games, Gogetfunding webpages and girls’ own independent projects. This last year the school raised and donated over CHF 17’000.-
Fundraising is challenging, exciting and highly rewarding thanks to the girls’ determination, perseverance and creativity. The skills learnt in the process are also important: risk-taking, problem-solving and decision-making; leadership, time-management, planning and organisation; not giving up and above all, tremendous hard work.