Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who makes up Bambini nel Deserto?

Swiss and foreign citizens residing in Switzerland or abroad who can apply to become a Member after one year of volunteering with Bambini nel Deserto.

How does one become a Member of Bambini nel Deserto?

All adult citizens, Swiss and foreign, residing in Switzerland or abroad, who have completed one year of active and continuous volunteering within the organization, can apply to become Members of Bambini nel Deserto. Membership involves paying the annual membership fee.

What are the requirements to become a volunteer for Bambini nel Deserto?

Collaborating with Bambini nel Deserto does not require specific skills: anyone can provide a useful service by making their aptitudes and knowledge available to the organization. Bambini nel Deserto requires that anyone who collaborates knows the organization’s Statute. It doesn’t matter how much time you can make available, primarily for activities in your area of residence: what matters is that the commitment made is not then disregarded. Bambini nel Deserto operates mainly in French-speaking countries: to participate in expeditions and missions, it is therefore advisable to know the language in use.

How are the funds raised through Bambini nel Deserto’s appeal spent?

The allocation of raised funds to various projects is planned in the Forecast Budget that is approved annually by the Members’ Assembly. The distribution choices are the responsibility of the Projects Office, which estimates the priority level of each project proposal presented to the various sector managers. The basis for allocation decisions is the principle that no less than 75% of expenses must be allocated to project implementation and a maximum of 25% reserved for management expenses. To date, Bambini nel Deserto has always kept well within this 25% threshold attributed to management costs.

How can I make a donation?

You can use the DONATE NOW buttons present on the site to make a general donation or for a specific project through:

• your Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, or China UnionPay card;
• your PayPal account;
• your smartphone with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or TWINT;
• one of the following circuits: Cartes Bancaires (France), Bancontact (Belgium), EPS (Austria), Giropay (Germany), Blik, Przelewy24 (Poland), Swish (Sweden), SEPA Direct Debit (EU), Klarna (EU and USA), AliPay, WeChat Pay (China);

Alternatively, at the bottom of each page of the site, you will find the IBAN code of our organization.

Can I specify which project or campaign I want my donation to go to?

By making the donation from the specific project page, the donation will be immediately allocated to the selected project.
When making a donation via bank transfer, please indicate the name of the recipient project in the reason for payment.

Is it possible to get confirmation of the donation?

When donating from the site, once the donation is received, Bambini nel Deserto will issue a receipt for the donation which will be sent to you via email.

How can I be sure that the project I contributed to financing has been completed?

We document the progress of our projects through all our communication channels, as well as in the project sheet present on this site.
Anyone can also request to participate in a Bambini nel Deserto expedition: requests will be evaluated based on the calendar of upcoming missions, the logistical conditions of each expedition, and especially the safety of the destinations at that specific time.
Travel expenses are borne by the participants.

Can I donate clothes, soaps, or non-perishable goods?

The donation of goods and materials is welcome when specific collection campaigns are launched: this usually happens before the start of expeditions with land vehicles or containers. Collection appeals are published on all our web and social channels.
For any other donation of goods and materials, it is advisable to contact the operational headquarters in Grono in advance.

In what other way can I be of help?

The first step is to help make Bambini nel Deserto and its action known, for example by subscribing to the newsletter and helping to spread it, or by following and sharing the content published on this site and on our social channels.
If you want to get to know the reality of Bambini nel Deserto up close, look for the office nearest to you on the contacts page.

Can I go on a short mission with Bambini nel Deserto?

Bambini nel Deserto periodically organizes expeditions whose characteristics, starting from the country of intervention, allow welcoming “external” people into the group of travelers – in addition to Members, active Volunteers, and Partners who have priority anyway.
Any additional participants will still be selected before departure by the leaders of each mission. Available spots will be announced through our web and social channels.

How can I work with you?

Currently, all paid positions within our organization, both in Switzerland and in beneficiary countries, are filled. When job opportunities arise within specific projects, they are appropriately reported through our web and social channels.
Bambini nel Deserto is predominantly made up of volunteer staff: for this reason, it is not possible to ensure a response to any spontaneous applications that may come to the attention of the central office or offices around the world.