Purpose
We are a legally independent Swiss non-profit organisation based in St. Gallen. With over 20 years of experience in international development cooperation, our purpose is to promote sustainable development to improve the living conditions of vulnerable populations in developing and transitioning countries.
Vision
We envision a world where individuals and organisations can learn and act in collaborative ways to eradicate poverty and contribute to the development of sustainable, diverse and inclusive societies.
Mission
We are facilitators of change. We enable our partners to learn from each other and to find solutions to the challenges triggered by poverty and climate change, by focusing our work in three thematic areas:
Values
Quality
Gender Equality
Efficiency and Effectiveness
Integrity and Accountability
Collaboration and Participation
20+ years committed to improving the living conditions of vulnerable populations
In 2002, Skat Consulting Ltd., Helvetas, Caritas Switzerland, and Swisscontact founded Skat Foundation. Since then, we have grown our network and visibility among Swiss and international organisations, thanks to our track record of successful projects and clear thematic positioning in the water sector, with a strong focus on knowledge management. Knowledge exchange, networks and collaborative partnerships have always been at the centre of our activities. Facilitating learning and empowering local actors towards context-based solutions is our core asset.
In 2019, we were awarded the Zewo quality seal as proof of our transparent, efficient and effective use of funds and resources. In the same year, we became part of the Alliance for Sustainable Food Systems and Empowered Communities (Sufosec). The year 2020 brought important changes to our organisational structure. Up until then, we had been working in close cooperation with our founding partner, Skat Consulting Ltd., who made available its expertise and implemented our projects, while also providing administrative and infrastructure support to our operations. In 2020, changes to the strategic approaches of both organisations led to the re-definition of our cooperation agreement. As a result, we became an autonomous and independent organisation in 2021, with full responsibility of our staff, partners and programmes.
From 2021 to 2024, we will benefit from the SDC Institutional Partnership Contribution to NGOs, together with our partners from the Sufosec Alliance. During this period, we will also participate in the hands4health consortium, which implements a four-year research project funded by SDC, focused on developing a systemic approach to hand hygiene, water quality and sanitation in off-grid schools and health care facilities. Skat Foundation will also integrate the REAL-Water Programme from 2021 to 2026, which aims to support policy makers, development partners, and service providers to make strategic decisions and implement best practices for water management through implementation research.
With our team of experts and the support of associated experts, we carry out our activities, projects and programmes. Our new organisational structure has enabled us to work in a more resource-efficient manner. Tapping on our networking capacity, we cultivate partnerships with other NGOs, universities, research institutions and consulting companies, in Switzerland and internationally. Skat Foundation is a founding member and long-standing host of the Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN), and has been hosting the Hydro Empowerment Network (HPNET) since 2023.
Our donor base includes Swiss local and cantonal institutions and foundations, the Swiss Federal Government, as well as bilateral, multilateral and international organisations.