Rev. Ernst Peyer

Rev. Ernst Peyer was born in 1906 in St. Gallen and sent to Cameroon in 1936 as a missionary of the Basel Mission. In 1959 the mission leadership called him to Kumasi on the Gold Coast, what is now Ghana. In his missionary activities Rev. Peyer was responsible for the whole operational area of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, including schools, infirmaries and aid projects.

His work and commitment were exemplary, carried by an enormous energy and his mantra:

Rev. E. Peyer obtained great acceptance and respect within the Ghanaian population in all classes and remained closely connected to the country and its people even after his retirement and return to Switzerland in 1971.

After he passed away in 1988 his friends established a foundation in Ghana to carry on with his work. The large amount of current and potential aid projects worthy of support moved the Swiss partners of the Ghanaian foundation to call to life another foundation in Switzerland.

It became of particular importance to encourage the general Swiss population for the support of aid projects, not only the numerous ones who live in Switzerland and already have relations with Ghana. On March 12, 2002, the “Ernst Peyer Gedenk-Stiftung Schweiz” based in Biel was registered in the Handelsregister of Bern Jura-Seeland. As an independent entity it functions as a partner of the foundation which since 1989 endorses and realizes charitable projects in memory of the lifetime achievement of missionary Ernst Peyer.

The since then effected monetary donations and donations in natural products from private and public establishments have shown that it was the right decision. In this context we would like to send our warmest thanks to all our donors!