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Our Values

How we live our mission

Our Board

Our Team

Who we are and our stories

Connectivity

Our Partners

Who we work with

our-scholars

Our Scholars

Our talented network of women

Our Values

What we do is inspired by three shared values and one guiding aspiration

Care

We care

About making a difference; individually, as a foundation, and as a growing community of leaders.

For women who, against the odds, dare to make a difference.

For respecting, stretching & realizing exceptional women's imaginations.

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We dare to

Think big and join forces in the pursuit of a fairer and freer society.

Find and attract women who can become pivotal leaders in their field, acting as role models for others to advance in business or in public life.

Encourage one woman at a time by nourishing their inspiration and providing them with confidence to realize their goals.

Share

We share

Experience, time, joy, wisdom, network and curiosity.

The opportunity to use BackPack's resources to multiply impact, with and within the community of leaders.

The desire to go beyond.

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Aspiration

We aim for fair

By providing our scholars with a fairer chance to succeed professionally and personally.

By contributing to creating a fairer playfield for distinctive women to succeed.

BACKPACK FOUNDATION . BACKPACK FOUNDATION .

Our Team

Hanne de Mora

Hanne de Mora

Nina Beer-Maurer

Nina Beer-Maurer

Sara Enriquez Bedon

Sara Enriquez Bedon

Srishti Gupta

Srishti Gupta

Our Partners

We aim to partner with academic institutions in Switzerland that are committed to supporting women who are looking to access transformative experiences through higher education in the fields of leadership, biosciences, medicine and technology.

If you represent a Swiss-based academic institution and interested in hosting a BackPack scholar in one of these areas or an international organization in contact with women that fulfill our selection criteria and are looking for sources of financing to realize their visions, please contact us. We are interested in exploring how we can work together to promote highly talented women.

Master of Business Administration

The BackPack-Excellence Scholarship for Women

At present, we have a partnership with IMD through the BackPack-Excellence Scholarship for Women

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IMD
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Our Scholars

We are seeking women who are looking to access transformative experiences through higher education, primarily in Switzerland, in the fields of leadership, biosciences, medicine and technology. Applicants must submit a letter of motivation and supporting documents to the Foundation Board.

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Nadia Osman

IMD BackPack Excellence for Women Scholar 2024

Our second BackPack Scholar is an entrepreneur at heart who got her degree in Architecture in Sudan. Nadia has several years of experience in social tech in her home country.

Learn More About Our Scholar
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Sorelle Djankou Djeuga

IMD BackPack Excellence for Women Scholar 2023

Our first BackPack Scholar is a Cameroonian national with master's degree in mechanical engineering, and 9 years working experience in Central and West Africa region.

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Scholars
Address

Address

C/O Alexandra Burch Birkenweg 5b 6064 Kerns

Email

Contact Us @

info@backpackfoundation.com

Address

Address

C/O Alexandra Burch
Birkenweg 5b
6064 Kerns

Email

Contact Us @

info@backpackfoundation.com

The BackPack Foundation is a non-profit foundation based in Switzerland. Donations to the BackPack Foundation are tax-deductible within the framework of the legal provisions.

Corporate Image Design by Belen Mena

© Copyright 2023 by backpackfoundation.com

Website Developed by Nikita Jain @ Arnasoftech

Hanne de Mora

Hanne de Mora

Founder and Chairwoman

A BackPack is a wonderful representation of our individual life journeys. It is a wonderful tool in everyday activities and when out in nature. The name of the foundation reflects my personal purpose statement: “for those who choose to: I want to support them along their journey in filling their BackPack with development and inspiration, and when they need it, take weight of their BackPack”. Fun fact: I have 3 times as many BackPacks as handbags, in all sizes and for all occasions.

My choice of studying business administration was because I didn’t know what profession I would thrive in, and business seemed broad, and it kept my options open. I developed and trained my leadership skills as a young troop leader in the scouts. Through my MBA discovered that I had a strategic mind, an entrepreneurial drive, and the ability to synthesize. The MBA gave me the self-confidence to pursue a career with ambitious companies, and later to build a global management consulting firm with a disruptive business model. As an extrovert, I enjoy teamwork, foster an inclusive environment, and joint problem solving. I continuously fill my BackPack, remain independent and curious, which has allowed me to be associated with some of the finest companies and work alongside outstanding individuals.

I was fortunate that my parents believed in education, and my father made enough money to pay for my studies abroad, and for me to start my career debt free. I take enormous pleasure in seeing young talent thrive and drive, and I have confidence that the BackPack Foundation can make a difference to somebody who cares to dare, who wants to share and always is fair.

Nina Beer-Maurer

Nina Beer-Maurer

Board Member

I associate two different aspects with the word “backpack";. On the one hand, I associate it with the fact that one needs a backpack for traveling, meaning the travel of life. Hence, people and women worldwide should have access to training/additional education and can thus acquire and build a backpack for their own life.

On the other hand, I associate it with the fact that everyone already has their own backpack, i.e. everyone carries their previous experiences with them and can share them with others to their benefit.

Through my studies in law, I was able to build up sound knowledge for many different relevant areas of life and thus deepen my knowledge of social problems in connection with law. My interest in people and their legal problems, and my urge to help people, has deepened through my studies. That's why I'm now working in an area of law in which the focus is on people and I can help people through my work to help plan and shape their lives

​On the one hand, I can live out my desire to help people and stand by them by supporting other women with my work in the foundation, so they all have the same opportunities and access to higher education, regardless of whether their financial or personal situation otherwise makes it difficult.

On the other hand, it is an enrichment for me to exchange ideas, thoughts and concepts with the members of the foundation and thereby learn something new by expanding my backpack with great experiences.

Sara Enriquez Bedon

Sara Enriquez Bedon

Board Member

The name of the foundation is close to my heart. It was a backpack (both material and emotional) what I carried when I left my home country almost 30 years ago. A backpack that friends, family, colleagues and mentors helped me carry along as it became fuller and sometimes heavier. Today, one of my most important goals is to help my daughter, who came in my life when she was 15, to carry her own backpack as she embarks in new academic and professional challenges.

With no doubt, my education has provided me with content and a network, but it is more the journey that I started in pursue of an academic career that has shaped who I am and my professional career. It taught me the importance of grabbing opportunities that sometimes, implied personal sacrifices. It allowed me to cross paths with people who I learned from and who became relevant not only in my professional, but my personal life. And above all, it gave me the privilege develop my own way of leading and having impact, projecting in others all the learnings of this journey and continuing to grow as I do it.

I am thrilled of being part of the Board of BackPack and the possibility it offers me to support many more journeys. BackPack is an opportunity to learn, to give back and to have fun working with people who I share values and objectives with. Can’t wait to meet the candidates that BackPack will find on the path we have started to build.

Srishti Gupta

Sristhi Gupta

Board Member

Around the world, students fill backpacks with all they need to attend school. Their journeys to school may only be a few meters or many, many miles and backpacks carry the things students will need to succeed in learning – for example, books, pencils, snacks, computers. To me, a backpack symbolizes the ability to fully participate in educational opportunities.

I pursued a technical degree in biochemistry at a university which also encouraged an array of additional classes to create a broad base of learning. This led me to study medicine grounded in a deep understanding of science but also a curiosity in areas like social justice, policy, economics and business. Through the generosity of a donor, I was also able to pursue a second advanced degree in public policy with a focus on international development. The degree program I was in encouraged practical exploration and it was this time and my combined degree background that became the springboard of my professional career. Over the past 20 years, I have had the privilege to work in medicine, global health, biotechnology, consulting, and philanthropy across geographies.

My education has truly shaped my path. I am energized and excited about the opportunity to help other women pursue their educational dreams, develop skills to excel in their fields, and support others along the way. It is an honor to be serving on the board of BackPack.

The application letter must provide information about the applicant's personal vision and what she expects to achieve with the additional education. Please complement your application with following additional information:

  1. Curriculum vitae
  2. Work references
  3. University transcripts
  4. Copy of student ID and/or copy of confirmation of enrolment at the university/institute for which the student will use the grant
  5. Intended use (budget) of the grant
  6. References The applicants are also free to submit further documents
The Board of Directors may request further documents at any time.

Belén Mena Ecuadorian visual artist. Dedicated to projects in visual communication systems, visual editing and editorial design since 1992. She has designed more than 200 commissioned books and is co-author of several publications in conservation such as Oso + Páramo, Sapos, Huellas de mar,Une Autre Terre and Biota Máxima.

Author of Pachanga, a book that explores the world of moths as a visual resource. This book has received important recognitions, Gold Award at the IF (International Forum of Design) 2008, and nominated as best world object book in the book tradeshow Frankfurt 2008.

Nominated for the Latin Grammy Award 2013 for best packaging design for the musical album De Taitas y De Mamas. President of the Jury of the Bolivia BICEBE Biennial 2017. TEDx Speaker in Río de la Plata, 2018. Actually part of the Uribe Schwarzkopf team in Quito.

Belen worked closely with the Board in designing BackPack's corporate identity. Belen associates BackPack to knowledge and wisdom and found inspiration in earthy colors. Her work is a reflection a permanent state of curiosity, as from early age she found her passion in biodiversity and art. She considers BackPack’s vision is close to her heart and important for women empowerment. In her words: “I would have liked to have the chance of havng access to the kind of support the foundation offers when I was a student in Ecuador, I am happy to contribute with my work in this website for others to further build on their talent accessing to a whole new world”

I studied architecture in Sudan, yet I always had a profound interest in social entrepreneurship and pursued a career in that field. I spent 7 years strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in my region before becoming an entrepreneur myself. I started my own social tech enterprise that focuses on providing technical solutions while creating jobs for people who don't have easy access to the workforce, especially women and people with disabilities.

Along these years, I developed skills in leadership, collaboration, and inclusion as well as recognizing the profound impact of giving back to a community that played a pivotal role in shaping my identity and my career. Pursuing an MBA has always been a goal, I am convinced it will help me achieve my long-term career aspirations and position me as the leader I aspire to be. I’m truly grateful of being awarded the BackPack Excellence Scholarship for Women as the foundation's values reflect the principles that have guided me in my career. I am keenly excited to contribute to the backpack community in a way that mirrors the generous support it has extended to me.

As I am beginning this transformative journey, the path to it had a lot of challenges, and that's why the symbolism of a “Backpack” resonates with me profoundly. It’s the only thing I had when I fled my home country earlier this year due to war. Also, it will be the metaphorical vessel that will carry the wealth of knowledge, experiences, and networks during my journey at IMD next year, all made possible by the unwavering support of the foundation.

As a mechanical engineer, I have had to quickly learn how to be bold in an environment that is traditionally more masculine. Working as a field professional in the oil and gas industry and as a maintenance manager in a factory running H24/J7, I learned the importance of a sense of responsibility for my team safety and how to link achievement of team goals to company objectives.

I applied for the BackPack IMD Excellence Scholarship for Women for a few reasons. One, I was facing challenges to get the required fees to fund my studies, and this came out as a great opportunity to cater to this purpose. Second, I saw it as an opportunity to be part of a supporting community during my year at IMD and post my MBA. Lastly, I wanted to be part of a community that would in the future would allow me to give back and contribute to other women who will need support to grow in their careers and access higher education which they may not afford on their own.

Through this, I also learned the importance of focus and discipline in execution, attention to details and perseverance. Some days are good, others are bad, but I never give up and keep learning from my mistakes. I learn to understand my environment and be flexible enough to adapt to it without changing my core values.

A BackPack is a bag we frequently use to put in our books and class material for study or other purposes. The BackPack Foundation for me is associated with a foundation that helps the winner with the financial resources missing in her bag or pack to pursue a long-term dream.