About Roche
Philanthropy
Roche Children’s Walk
Celebrating 20 years of impact

At Roche, we believe that children in need everywhere deserve a helping hand towards a brighter future. Employees fundraise to support projects through the legally independent global charity Roche Employee Action and Charity Trust (Re&Act), as well as local projects in over 70 countries where we operate and beyond.

Since the first company Walk in 2003, more than 294,000 Roche employees have raised over CHF 22 million in donations for children’s projects around the world. Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the Children’s Walk starting on 13 June 2023. Let's celebrate our continued commitment to make a difference for children around the globe!

Why we do it

Employees fundraise for global children’s projects relating to education, nutrition, primary healthcare and social development. Employee donations are company matched and used to support children’s projects across the globe through the legally independent charity, Re&Act.

2022 impact highlights

2,280 students

benefited from 57 new classrooms built in Cambodia with Child’s Dream.

13,000 booklets

about menstrual hygiene management distributed in English and Chichewa in Malawi with UNICEF.

60 children

Received academic, health and psycho-social support in Ethiopia with Selam Children’s Village.

For more information on Re&Act, visit our website.

The Roche Children’s Walk is our largest employee-driven fundraising event. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Roche Children’s Walk. It’s incredible to see how an employee-driven pilot project to support kids in need has become our biggest employee engagement and philanthropic event.

For the first time in three years, small groups of Children’s Walk Ambassadors were selected to see the impact of our Re&Act projects first hand.Some helped to open a new school we funded through Child’s Dream in Cambodia and meet with our scholar recipients. Another group went to Selam Children's Village in Ethiopia and to Malawi to visit the ActionAid and UNICEF programs that we support.

Fabienne Weibel, Roche Switzerland, and Tomomi Tsujino, Roche Diagnostics Japan, met with Re&Act scholar recipients through Child’s Dream in 2022.
Wilson Garibello, Roche Diagnostics Colombia, visited the SELAM children’s village in Ethiopia supported by Re&Act in 2022.
Catalina Rodriguez Ortega, Roche Panama, visited several Re&Act projects in Malawi in 2022.

Our ambassadors

If you are a Roche employee, you can register at your affiliate and take part by: donating, walking, running, dancing, singing, baking and participating in many more exciting fundraising opportunities.

Here are some examples of fundraising done by the affiliates.

Algeria
Employees organized several activities to raise funds for a local orphanage during the Children’s Walk 2022.
Morocco
Employees reconnected in person on a volunteering day at the Anaïs Moroco foundation. They managed to do some practical activities like re-building tables, cooking and playing with children with mental disabilities.
Ivory Coast
Employees walked with children ,spent a day with the children and made donations to support the Children’s Walk initiative.
Tunisia, Tunis
Employees walked together to the supported orphanage and handed in person the collected donations
Cote d'Ivoire
Employees walked to their local orphanage to spend the day with the children to create a community feel between employees and children
Ghana, Accra
The Ghana team visited the children of the supported school
Kenya, Nairobi
Visit of the supported Pediatric Ward 3B at Kenyatta National Hospital
Kenya, Nairobi
Employees visited the pediatric hospital they fundraise for, bringing with them mascots, music and games to brighten the day for the children
South Africa, Cape Town
Raising funds for local community beneficiaries Lawrence house and Zonnebloem Cottage Foster Home (part of HomeFromHome)
South Africa, Cape Town
Continued support of local NGO
Vietnam
Employees participated in a walk together and in flea market activities in order to engage people to support Re&Act and their local association.
Turkey, Istanbul
For the first time all employees from headquarters and the sales team came together during two days of fundraising.
Iran, Pars, Tehran
For the first time all divisions came together to raise funds
Pakistan, Karachi
Support of orphans to get proper shelter, healthcare, education and protection
India, Mumbai
Development of a volunteering team
Myanmar, Yangon
Dia and pharma participated together to fundraise for a charity which builds wells in the central dry zone of Myanmar bringing clean water to local people
Thailand, Bangkok
Fundraised for a local charity to cover the transportation costs of children with kidney disease to and from the hospital
Malaysia, Subang Jaya
Organised a T-shirt competition, the winning design was printed on T-shirts and sold to employees to raise funds
Malaysia, Petaling Jaya
During a charity bazaar funds were raises for children with hearing impairment
Malaysia, Petaling Jaya
Walking as one team supporting children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
Singapore, Singapore
Walking together plus fundraising activities: Build a bear, pay for run, floral arrangement, massage, flea market, carnival games and yoga
Singapore, Diabetes Care Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
Every little effort counts - supporting a local charity
Vietnam
Held a whole day of events which included singing and dancing. More employees participated than ever before.
Indonesia, Jakarta
Raised funds for a shelter home for children with rare diseases.
Taiwan, Taipei
Shared a story of AIDS and adoption to employees on Family Day to remind employees of the original intention of Children's walk.
China, Shanghai, DIA
Happy and inspired by walking together with the children they have been supporting for many years.
China, Suzhou
Employees organised a full day of sports games and invited 10 special children from their local charity to participate.
Seoul, South Korea
Walked to raise funds for the Korean Association for prevention of child abuse and neglect
Japan, Diagnostics K.K.
We sold the original RoCW items and sweets made by the intellectually disabled people workshop
Japan, Tokyo
Employees raised funds by selling books, clothing and children's walk merchandise.
Australia, North Ryde
Employees had a fun filled day full of enthusiasm which included a raffle, an enjoyable walk through the beautiful Lane Cove National Park in Sydney.
Australia, Sydney
Local beneficiary NGO joined the event and reported on the impact of the funds received.
Australia, Sydney
Their route took in the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House, in the winter sun. Senior managers then cooked a barbecue for participants.
New Zealand
Support local NGO to provide essential items for children being placed in foster care.
Finland
The Finnish OneRoche Pharma & Dia Team members got together in small local teams around our country for the Children's walk on June 16th.
United Kingdom
Employees held a costume competition as part of their walk
Ireland
have an active Wellbeing team that tried to ensure as many 'normal' activities during the pandemic to raise funds for Children’s Walk.
Belgium, Brussels
Seven children suffering from life-treatening diseases will have their dearest wishes been fulfilled.
France, Diabetes Care
Support of an association which takes care of children with autism.
Switzerland, Pharma Basel
Charity concert to raise funds for Children's Walk projects around the globe.
Poland
Employees donated baked and knitted goods to sell on campus.
Hungary, Budapest
Walkin with the children from Pető Institute
Slovenia
Held a 'Roche CW auction' where employees donated items that were then offered to employees at auction.
Slovenia, Ljubljana
Employees attended and brought their books for a Roche Children’s Walk flea market.
Croatia (Dia)
Local beneficary talked about the great impact the funds have for the three supported families
Serbia
Crafts made by employees' children have been sold at an auction to raise funds for children in need.
Bulgaria, Sofia
Helped five children without families to continue their education, get a degree and strive for better life.
Greece, Athens
Created an outdoor cinema for the summer camp of the NGO “The Arc of the World”.
Italy, Dia and Diabetes Care
Announcement of new collaboration with a local NGO at Town Hall event
Italy, Monza
Employees organised an auction to raise funds for a charity which coaches children with spina bifida to develop their individual autonomy.
Tucson
Employees walked together to the supported Children’s Walk 2022. It was a great opportunity to be back on campus and celebrate as a community!
Genentech
Employees took part in a healthy competition through our employees' steps challenge. Teams were formed to walk together. They had a delightful and fun walk with strong participation. This event was a great addition to their Genentech Gives Back week.
United States, South San Francisco
Genentech employees participated in a costume contest and the executive team served as the judges.
United States, Pleasanton, CA
Employees baked some beautiful Children’s Walk themed cakes.
United States, San Jose, CA
United States, Santa Clara Jose, CA
United States, Belmont, CA
United States, Madison, WI
Employees organised an ice cream truck to cool down after the Children’s Walk.
United States, Tucson
Raised money for two local charities: Casa de los Ninos and Youth on their Own
United States, Innovation Centre New York
Employee-Ambassador presentation to raise awarenees and engage employees to participate and raise funds.
United States, Branchburg, NJ
Mexico, Mexico City
At this event, among the participants were Melissa and Uriel, two children who could fulfill their dream to get to know the beach and this could be done thanks to the contribution of all the donations
Puerto Rico, Ponce
Organised a sport appreciation day to raise funds for a charity which provides tutoring services for children in the community.
Colombia
Employees gathered for a fun day of fundraising while playing traditional Colombian children's games and having a concert by kids from the "Fundacion Batuta", their locally supported NGO.
Ecuador, Quito
Employees from pharma, dia and dc enjoyed a picnic after their walk.
Peru
Employees participated in a walk outside together as well as fun games indoors like table football.
Brazil
A very talented local artist made a work of art especially for Children's Walk 2020 to be raffled to employees.
Brazil, São Paulo
The 'Fest Junina' charity party with food, games, dance and typical music uniting all employees and raising money.
Brazil, São Paulo
Employees have supported the campaign for years but in 2019 they held the walk event for the first time with great success.
Argentina, Buenos Aires
Employees volunteering at the local NGO and the beneficary children play a concert
Argentina, Buenos Aires
A fun 'Toy Factory' with the local NGO, Fundacion SI Argentina, and volunteers
Uruguay, Montevideo
Roche employees and teenagers from local NGO sang together as a choir at the event
Uruguay, Montevideo
Employees baked every week for weekly breakfasts to raise funds to refurbish facilities of a local NGO for study workshops. Urubopa, Uruguay, Bolivia and Paraguay walked virtually together on October 31. They held many different activities including a virtual cooking event

Our partners

Re&Act ensures responsible and effective use of the donations. Re&Act supports children’s projects in developing countries with experienced and trustworthy non-governmental organisations such as:

Child’s Dream

Child's Dream Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization founded by Daniel Siegfried and Marc Jenni in 2003. The foundation is dedicated to empowering marginalised children, youth and communities in the Mekong Sub-Region of Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia.

For more information, please visit the Child’s Dream website.

UNICEF

Founded in 1946 and mandated by the United Nations General Assembly and guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF advocates for the protection of children's rights, helps children across the world meet basic needs and expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. Working in 190 countries and territories to translate the commitment to the wellbeing of children into practical action, UNICEF focuses special efforts on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

For more information, please visit UNICEF's website.

Selam Children’s Village

Selam Children’s Village is a non-governmental, non-profit making organization which provides care and support to orphan children in Ethiopia, so that they holistically develop and become self-reliant. Selam Children’s Village provides quality education in its educational institutions, Technical and Vocational College which benefits the orphans and youths and the surrounding community. For more information, please visit the Selam Children’s Village website.

Roger Federer Foundation

The Roger Federer Foundation (RFF) is a charitable Foundation. It works with carefully selected local organisations in long-term partnerships. It supports the development of individual skills, searches for innovative solutions and acts in a targeted way in order to improve the children’s situation over the long term. The involvement is concentrated on a few chosen countries in Africa and in Switzerland.

Re&Act is supporting a school readiness initiative in 19 rural communities in Malawi. For more information, please visit the Roger Federer Foundation website.

ActionAid

ActionAid is a global federation working for a world free from poverty and injustice. Working with some of the poorest and most remote parts of Malawi, their grassroots engagements tackle the wider problems that lead to poverty. They help people to claim their rights; such as land rights, women's rights, and the right to education. Re&Act is supporting a school readiness initiative in 19 rural communities in Malawi.
For more information, please visit ActionAid website.

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