who we are

The Addax and Oryx Foundation is an independent Swiss non-profit foundation, registered in Geneva, Switzerland. We have been supporting projects run by non-profit organisations since 1996, with the aim of helping poor communities in Africa and the Middle East to sustainably rise out of poverty.

We are convinced that in the fight against poverty a virtuous circle of sustainable development can be created by working with communities to share and develop the basic knowledge, skills and conditions that empower them for the future.

Our Mission

Our mission is to fight the root causes of poverty in Africa and the Middle East, by supporting projects focused on four core areas:

  • Health
  • Education
  • Community development, and
  • The Environment.

 We believe that, together, Health, Education, Community development and the Environment are essential to sustainable development.

  • Health: the cornerstone of human development and activity, essential to our capacity to learn and to look after ourselves and others. It includes access to proper healthcare as well as good health and hygiene practices.
  • Education: the ability to read and write, the acquisition of a minimum education and practical professional skills, as the building blocks to apprehend the world, generate an income, innovate and create our own future.
    We are convinced that health AND education are essential to a sustainable rise out of poverty.
  • Community development: a broad expression of the skills, organisation and activities that enable a community to be self-sustaining. It includes food security, income-generating activities, sanitation, power generation and much more.
  • Environment: a cross-cutting area that the Foundation considers from the start in all projects. Human development is only sustainable if it respects and protects its natural environment.

How we work

The Addax and Oryx Foundation funds the projects of non-profit, non-governmental organisations that demonstrate the experience and expertise to help poor communities in Africa and the Middle East to become the masters of their own destiny, with tangible and sustainable results.

We give priority to projects that take a holistic approach, incorporating more than one of our core areas, in recognition of their inter-dependence in the fight against poverty. Projects must also be anchored in local communities, with individual and collective participation and empowerment, to ensure that actions are relevant and viable for the long-term.

 We give preference to projects run by highly committed and professional individuals who are directly involved in the projects they propose, and to smaller organisations that do not have access to major governmental or agency funding.

In allocating funds, the Foundation aims to:

  • create a sustainable and measurable impact;
  • develop self-sufficiency within local populations;
  • spark an individual and collective development momentum.

We have developed a set of values and principles that guide our decisions on the eligibility of the projects applying for funds.

 Download our Ethical Charter in PDF format

The Addax and Oryx Foundation has developed a policy document as a recommendation to NGOs requesting funding for water-related proposals. The Foundation gives priority to projects that encompass the whole cycle of water supply, in particular, the natural recharging of underground water through intact ecosystems. 

Download our Policy Document in PDF format

Our History

1996:
The Addax and Oryx Foundation is created by employees of the Addax and Oryx Group (AOG), with a focus on education and health. It is supported by AOG founder and Chairman, Jean Claude Gandur, and AOG's Board of Directors, which provides funds for the projects.

1996 – 2007:
The Foundation funds 98 projects in 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Projects are selected and monitored by a committee made up of employees and an AOG Board member.

2007:
In December 2007, the Foundation is officially registered in Geneva canton and placed under the supervision of the Swiss Federal Supervisory Authorities for Foundations. The move reflects the will to make it into a professional and independent body, with a solid base from which to sustainably build on the work of the first 11 years.
The Foundation's mission is defined as to alleviate the root causes of poverty in Africa and the Middle East, with a focus on four key areas: health, education, community development and the environment. Jean Claude Gandur becomes Chairman of the independent Board of Trustees. Board members are selected for their knowledge and experience of Africa and/or the Middle East, and of one or more of the Foundation's focus areas.

2008 – present:
The Foundation has funded over 160 projects in over 32 countries since December 2007 (2008 – 10/2023) and over 258 projects since it began in 1996.

To read more on the projects financed by the Foundation, click here to access our annual reports.

Nota bene: although the Addax and Oryx Foundation has produced an annual report every year since its creation in 1996, only reports from and including 2008 are available online.