The Liana Gertsch Memorial Scholarship at Kaplani School

Purpose: To honor Liana Gertsch's life and work by contributing to educational access in the Himalayan region she loved

Geographic Scope: Uttarakhand, India (Kaplani School vicinity near Mussoorie)

Institution: Kaplani School near Woodstock in the vicinity of Mussoorie in Uttarakhand, India

Founded: Originally established by classmates who knew Liana at Woodstock High School

About Liana Gertsch:

• Graduate of Woodstock School in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, India
• Career dedicated to promoting educational reform for children in communities around the world
• Professional Experience:
  • Started career with Bernard van Leer Foundation and Oxfam in the Netherlands
  • 5 years at Save the Children in Bangladesh as Chief of Party
  • 1 year in Malawi as Director of Programme Development and Quality
  • 3 years as Director of RTI in the Kyrgyz Republic, launching education project "Okuu Keremet!"
  • Chief of Party for RTI International in Liberia
  • Died from meningitis in Liberia
• Legacy: Provided access to education for young, poor children across multiple continents
• Survived by her sisters and three children

Selection Criteria:

• Primary: Financial need
• Secondary:
  • Strong character
  • Commitment to others
  • Academic aptitude

Funding Structure:

• Donations to the Gertsch Fund are placed in a permanently restricted endowment
• Scholarships are financed from earnings of the endowment
• Contributions are tax-deductible

Application Documents:

• Formal endowment agreement detailing the Scholarship's mechanisms and donor motivations available upon request