Dagny och Ester

Dagny and Ester Westerlund Foundation is a Finnish foundation established in 1993 in accordance with the wishes of sisters Dagny and Ester Westerlund. Both sisters were educated at Hangö Samskola and became primary school teachers. Ester worked, among other places, at Lagstads school in Espoo, while Dagny taught at Evitskog school in Kirkkonummi. After retiring, they returned to their childhood home in Hanko and lived there until their deaths.

The foundation’s purpose is to provide financial support to young Swedish-speaking people from Hanko who have limited means and are studying at a university or other higher education institution in Finland to qualify as teachers. Its central offering is therefore a scholarship for eligible teacher-training students, helping them pursue their studies. The foundation’s website provides information about its history and mission, explains how to apply for a scholarship, and lists contact details for enquiries. Through this support, the foundation continues the sisters’ connection to education, their hometown, and the Swedish-speaking community by assisting local students preparing for a career in teaching.