History & Milestones
From four old containers to a Center of Excellence.
Our milestones
What began in 2007 as volunteer work is today a center with three programs and a social enterprise.
2007–2013
The beginnings
2007–10Bernhard Wissler and Christine Oberli volunteer in Addis Ababa for an aid project that delivers discarded wheelchairs from Switzerland to Ethiopia.
2010The Addis Guzo association is founded in Bern, together with Marianne Locher.
2011Ground-breaking. The wheelchair workshop is built from four old containers and plenty of corrugated iron.
2012Recognition as a foreign charity: Addis Guzo opens its doors.
2013The wheelchair basketball court is built and the first groups train every week.
2014–2021
Growing and settling in
2014Skills development: candle-making is followed by tailoring and doll-making.
2015The rehabilitation center opens for families with children with disabilities, along with physiotherapy for adults.
2017Salome Inclusion Day with staff, a local football club and our basketball team.
2018Move to Geja Sefer, one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city.
2019Inauguration of the new site and, together with the Kukuk-Kultur association, construction of the first inclusive playground in Ethiopia.
2020COVID-19: with protective measures in place, our work continues almost without interruption.
2021After almost ten years, Addis Guzo gets a new logo.
2022–2026
Passing on knowledge
2022Ten years of Addis Guzo. The third project phase begins, with a focus on education and training.
2023First training course in Switzerland: physiotherapist Addisalem spends four weeks in Bern.
2024The early intervention program is in place and 40 children aged 0 to 2 join.
2025iRi plus project phase: expansion of the training programs.
2026Our social enterprise Addis Ability opens its doors.