FRSA Fondation Romande SourdAveugles

What FRSA Fondation Romande SourdAveugles does

FRSA Fondation Romande SourdAveugles is a Swiss non-profit foundation headquartered in Monthey, Valais, that serves people with deafblindness (surdicécité) across French-speaking Switzerland (Romandie). Founded in 1999 by Françoise Gay-Truffer, it is the principal dedicated provider for this population in the region and operates Les Marmettes, a residential facility hosting more than 30 residents year-round, alongside a day-center serving approximately 30 participants and home-support services spanning the cantons of Valais, Vaud, and Fribourg. The foundation also runs Les Ateliers, a socio-professional workshop, a school for deafblind children, and a reference center for tactile communication methods.

The foundation's service portfolio rests on specialized human expertise rather than proprietary technology. Its 90+ collaborators include caregiver-interpreters, deafblind-intervenors, and medical-social staff trained in tactile sign language, adapted French Sign Language, and co-construction communication methods. The foundation extends its reach through certified training programs (OrTra SSVS) for external care workers, and ISO 9001:2015 certification attests to formally documented quality management. There is no disclosed software platform, AI system, or digital product in the available data.

Revenue is derived from a non-profit mix: federal disability insurance (AI/IV) and cantonal subsidies, donations and legacies, and revenue from workshop product sales. As a non-profit, the foundation reinvests any surplus in operations; the foundation has no commercial equity, no disclosed financial statements, and no external valuation. Samuel Kuchel assumed the directorship from founder Françoise Gay-Truffer in September 2025, marking the first formal leadership transition in the foundation's history.

Name

FRSA Fondation Romande SourdAveugles

Legal name

Fondation Romande en faveur des personnes Sourdaveugles

Website

https://frsa-sourds-aveugles.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FRSA Fondation Romande SourdAveugles is a Swiss non-profit foundation, founded in 1999 and based in Monthey, that serves deafblind individuals across French-speaking Switzerland through residential care, day-center services, home support, socio-professional workshops, and specialized training programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Deafblindness Support Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Other Residential Care Facilities (623990)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Assisted Living for Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities (Adult) (HLADABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Housing Transition & Supported Living Navigation (EDAKANAK)

Keywords

• Deafblind residential care
• Disability support services
• Tactile communication training
• Vocational rehabilitation programs
• Sensory disability support

Headquarters

HQ city

Monthey

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and institutional donors contribute funds to support the foundation's operations. The foundation conducts regular fundraising campaigns, donor newsletters, and philanthropy outreach.
2. Public/Institutional Funding and Service Contracts: cantonal subsidies, AI (Assurance Invalidité)recognised benefit contracts, and government service agreements to fund residential care, day centre services, and home-support programmes for persons with recognised disabilities.
3. Legs, Donations & Inheritance: Philanthropic legacy and bequest programme accepting donations, legacies, and inheritances from individuals, offering tax advantages as a recognised public utility foundation.
4. Socio-professional Workshop Revenue: Revenue from sale of workshop products (woodwork, paper-making, laundry, weaving, gardening, catering) and services including chair caning and sewing through the on-site boutique at Monthey.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

FRSA operates Les Marmettes, a residential facility in Monthey housing more than 30 residents with deafblindness, together with socioprofessional workshops (L'Atelier), personal development activities, home inclusion support (SAIH) and adapted vacation stays. It also delivers professional training through Prapaf and conducts applied research and international knowledge exchange in tactile communication and multi-handicap support for French-speaking Switzerland (Romandie).

Product overview

FRSA Fondation Romande SourdAveugles is a Swiss foundation providing a comprehensive ecosystem of care services for deaf-blind (sourdaveugle) individuals in French-speaking Switzerland. The organization operates primarily through its Les Marmettes residential center in Monthey, offering integrated services including adapted housing for over 30 residents, socioprofessional workshops (woodwork, paper-making, laundry, weaving, gardening, cooking), personal development programs (communication skills, music therapy, mobility training), and sports/cultural activities. The foundation also provides home-based support services across Romandy, summer vacation programs, and professional training for healthcare workers. A cornerstone of its approach is the clinical research program developing communication techniques for deaf-blind individuals through tactile French Sign Language and shared experience workshops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Les Marmettes FRSA: The primary residential and day care facility in Monthey, Switzerland, providing specialized accommodation and programs for people with deafblindness.
• Action FRSA

Products and services

• Les Marmettes — Residential Housing

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 30 residents accommodated year-round at Les Marmettes
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• InfomaniakminorOthersWeb hosting provider for the FRSA website frsa-sourds-aveugles.ch, as noted in the legal notice.
• Google Analytics (via Infomaniak infrastructure)minorOthersWeb analytics service used (with IP anonymisation) to track site traffic and visitor behaviour, mentioned in the privacy policy.
• Intuit MailchimpminorOthersEmail marketing platform used for donor newsletters and campaign communications, as noted in the website footer.
• Commune of MontheycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe municipality of Monthey provides the 'Couvert des Mangettes' venue for the annual Christmas celebration and participates in local inclusion activities including the 'Chemin des crèches' nativity trail.
• OrTra SSvs (Organisation du Monde du travail — Secteur Santé et Social, Valais)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFRSA provides training on deafblindness and sensory loss to care students (ASSC) through OrTra SSvs for the Valais health and social sector.
• Local Associations and StructuresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAction FRSA and Les Marmettes partner with local associations and various community structures to organise awareness events, market days, and inclusion activities in Monthey and across Romandie.
• INSOS (Swiss association of institutions for people with disabilities)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFRSA participates in INSOS vocational training pathways, offering practical recognition (FPra) and AFP/CFC professional certificates to deafblind workshop participants in partnership with external enterprises.
• CFF (Swiss Federal Railways)minorOthersFRSA uses CFF for mobility training of deafblind persons; volunteers receive half-price 2nd-class travel refunds for accompanying participants to/from summer holiday camps.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sense International: International non-profit working with deafblind people and those with complex disabilities in low- and middle-income countries, providing direct services, advocacy, and capacity building. Highly comparable mission and integrated care model to FRSA's deafblind specialization.
• Deafblind UK: UK national charity supporting people with deafblindness through advice, befriending, residential services, and communication support. Comparable mission, population, and combination of direct support with advocacy.
• Sensity (formerly Deafblind Ontario): Canadian non-profit delivering residential, day-program, and community support services specifically for people who are deafblind. Closely comparable service mix (residential, day programs, community support) and beneficiary population.
• INDEX Foundation (Norway): Norwegian foundation funding and supporting deafblind services, research, and assistive technology. Comparable specialization in deafblind-only population and combination of direct services plus research.
• Helen Keller National Center (HKNC): US-based national center providing residential, training, and community services for deafblind individuals across all age groups. Comparable integrated residential-plus-training-plus-research model and direct deafblind focus.

Broad incumbents

• Sense (UK): UK charity supporting people with deafblindness and complex disabilities through a broad portfolio of services, including specialist schools and residential care. Comparable population but a wider scope than FRSA's Romandie-only, deafblind-pure focus.
• Perkins School for the Blind: US historic institution serving students who are blind, deafblind, or have multiple disabilities through education, residential, and international programs. Comparable sensory-disability residential and education orientation, but broader mission.

Others

• INSOS Switzerland: Swiss national association of disability service providers, of which FRSA is already a participating member for vocational training. Adjacent enabler rather than a direct competitor; relevant as the sector body.
• Deafblind International (DbI): Global association for deafblind service providers, families, and professionals. Not a direct service competitor but the principal international knowledge network for FRSA's domain, supporting training and research exchange.

Regional players

• Fondation Asile des Aveugles: Swiss foundation in Lausanne providing eye care, rehabilitation, and support services for visually impaired people in French-speaking Switzerland. Comparable Swiss Romandie footprint and sensory-disability focus, but blindness-only rather than deafblind.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@FRSASwitzerland
• Facebookfacebook.com/FondationFRSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/frsa-fondation-romande-sourdaveugles

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FRSA Fondation Romande SourdAveugles