The Soliswiss Cooperative aims to support Swiss nationals, in particular to mitigate financial risks arising from traveling long distances, emigrating, living abroad or returning to Switzerland. We always strive to empower Swiss citizens living abroad and to assist them with advice, services and products to allow for the best possible coverage.
Since not all risks can be calculated and avoided, Soliswiss members also support each other. For example, a lump-sum compensation is financed with the membership fees, which takes effect if Soliswiss members abroad lose their financial livelihood due to political events such as wars, unrest, terrorist attacks or even expropriation.
In addition, Soliswiss has an aid fund with which it can provide rapid and unbureaucratic support to Swiss citizens in need. The relief fund is financed by donations. The relief fund makes it possible to support members who cannot claim a politically induced loss of livelihood. The one-time payment should be targeted, appropriate and meaningful.
Looking back over all the years, we have paid out more than one million francs from the relief fund since the cooperative was founded in 1958. Various circumstances have played a role in this. What is common in all cases is that the recipients of the aid got into an emergency situation more or less through no fault of their own, as in one case where the breadwinner and Soliswiss member was killed in the turmoil of a civil war and the family was left alone in the country of the civil war. Soliswiss has also provided support in the past in cases of violent crime, extortion and other events that threatened life and limb. The support has also taken creative forms, for example with the purchase of a TukTuk for a member who could only cover longer distances with difficulty after being bitten by a crocodile.
In the last two years, the Corona aid has been the focus. Here, the aid fund has enabled us to help quickly and without much bureaucracy; partly as a loan, but mostly as a one-time support contribution. The needs during this time were and are manifold. In some cases, the absolute necessities were lacking, especially at the beginning of the Corona crisis. In other cases, money was needed in the short term to avert bankruptcy and thus a longer-term loss of existence. Shortly before Christmas, we were able to give a member a bridging loan to enable him to move to a new job after a year and a half of Corona-related unemployment.
These requests for help have made one thing clear, in an event of this magnitude, no one is immune from finding themselves in dire straits when the social safety net doesn’t kick in, regardless of where they live, their education or their profession.
Since the relief fund is financed by donations, we are very grateful for any donation.
As internet payment with credit card or PayPal via website.
Or via the following bank account:
Credit Suisse IBAN: CH23 0483 5020 1066 8100 1
Bundesplatz 2 BIC/SWIFT: CRESCHZZ80A
CH-3001 Bern Message to bank: Donation
Soliswiss – Cooperative of Swiss Abroad
Effingerstrasse 45, P.O. Box, CH-3001 Bern
www.soliswiss.ch info@soliswiss.ch
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