ZOLLi FüR ALLi

Partial solution

Be a small part of a possible solution. Poverty is underestimated because it is less public & visual nowadays.

Experience

Enable a great experience for those who cannot afford it.

Raising awareness

Raise awareness of the issue of poverty in Switzerland and its consequences for the health and values system.

Solidarity

Solidarity that in one of the richest countries in the world, the weakest are supported by society.

Swiss poverty

The Federal Statistical Office set the poverty line in 2017 at an income of CHF 2,259 per month for an individual and CHF 3,990 per month for a family with two adults and two children. A budget plan with this income leaves practically no room for expenditure in the areas of further education, pension provision, savings, cars, holidays or leisure. People living in poverty are therefore severely restricted in their leisure activities and in their participation in social life.

In 2017, around 675,000 people in Switzerland were living below the defined poverty line and another 570,000 people were at risk of poverty. This corresponds to about 3.5 or 3 times the population of the city of Basel. Relative to the total Swiss population, 8.2 % of the people in our country are thus directly affected by poverty. Between 2014 and 2017 this rate has risen by around 20%. Of the 675,000 people living below the poverty line in 2017, some 262,000 people were receiving social assistance from the state. According to the Federal Social Report, state support services have made a significant contribution to reducing poverty. Without these subsidies, the poverty rate in Switzerland would be more than twice as high.

If one looks more closely at the statistics and pays attention to the influencing factors, it is noticeable that older people over 65 are particularly affected by poverty. At over 15%, the poverty rate for this group is almost twice as high as for the rest of the population. A similarly high poverty rate was found among migrants from outside Europe. Also particularly affected are people who have only attended compulsory school with a rate of 12% and unemployed people with a rate of 15-20%. Individuals (13 - 25%) and single-parent households (10 - 15%) are also particularly affected.

With a rate of about 10%, over 70,000 children - and thus the weakest in society - also suffer from poverty. "Often, there is a much higher rate of illness among children affected by poverty in Switzerland. The childhood affected by poverty is exposed to very specific different risks," says Professor Franz Schultheis, emeritus of the University of St. Gallen. Those affected often also lack the means to participate in cultural and social life - for example, inviting friends to dinner. According to Schultheis, this is a form of poverty that leads to social exclusion.

This is where we want to start with our project. Our primary goal is to enable people with little money to participate in social life and not to feel excluded because of their budget. Poverty in Switzerland is often underestimated because it is less public and less visible. "People with little money are socially disadvantaged and affected by poor conditions, even if they have a roof over their heads and reasonably enough to eat," says Ueli Mäder, professor emeritus of sociology at the University of Basel. According to Mäder, people affected by poverty often suffer from stress and the feeling of being of less value: "Even a school trip can become a problem; because of the costs and the comparison with others. It often happens that poverty is made a taboo and those affected blame themselves for a problem that is partly caused by society. Most people affected by poverty are in employment. They work a lot but earn very little (working poor).

With the Zollitag (zoo day), we would like to make a small contribution so that people with a low income can participate in an experience that is not an everyday occurrence for them. We would also like to raise awareness of the issue of poverty in Switzerland and draw attention to the effects on the health and values system.

The Zollitag should exemplify a solidarity in which, in one of the richest countries in the world, the weakest are supported by society.

Whether or not one can afford to enter the zoo can be decided by each and everyone. But we would like to encourage all those who are financially challenged to accept this invitation and take advantage of the offer without false shame.

We wish all visitors and all those involved an unforgettable day at Basel Zoo.

Source statistics: https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/wirtschaftliche-soziale-situation-bevoelkerung/soziale-situation-wohlbefinden-und-armut/armut-und-materielle-entbehrungen/armut.html 

1’245’000

People in Switzerland are affected or threatened by poverty.

+20%

From 2014 to 2017, poverty in Switzerland has increased by 20 percent.