Project & foundation

steps for children:

Eine Initiative von

Dr. Michael Hoppe

Husumer Straße 3

20251 Hamburg

Germany

AUSZEICHNUNGEN

für steps for children

Wir sind Preisträger
im Wettbewerb „365 Orte
im Land der Ideen“
unter der Schirmherrschaft
des Bundespräsidenten

No. 5/2011

Edition December 2011

Dear friends and sponsors of steps for children,

I’ve just recently come back from warm Namibia (38°C) and landed well in cold Germany. I’m happy about the contemplative time before Christmas.
The pre-school year is over now and our children are enjoying the summer holidays in Namibia. But there’s still a lot to do in Okakarara, Gobabis and the new steps project in Otavi, since the income generating steps are supposed to keep on growing and new steps are supposed to be developed. Some children are being taken care of in the holidays in the soup kitchens and afternoon care. You don’t like the stress of buying Christmas gifts in shops? We’ve got some great ideas for gifts that are going to warm your hearts and the hearts of the children in Namibia without having to be in a crowd of shoppers…

steps in Okakarara

Farewell party of pre-school

Our children in Okakarara finished pre-school successfully on November 18th and all will start elementary school in the coming year.
The children were singing, dancing and said the rhymes they’ve learned for the happy parents and friends. For the official reception of their reports, the future elementary kids came up in robes with doctor’s caps and they additionally received their bag with toothbrush, facecloth and a few gifts like sweets and pencils.
Five of them are becoming guardian angel children and are getting support since they would not be able to afford school – i.e. steps for children is paying school fees, school uniforms, books and exercise books as well as a warm meal each day. In the afternoons all guardian angel children are coming back to the project for help with schoolwork and taking care of them: the result is that almost all of our guardian angel children are significantly better in their classes. And seven out of them got a special award this year: Kameme, Kautjiukua, Tjandero, Mbatuminua (Grade 1), Beverly, Petronella (Grade 2) and Johanna (Grade 3) have once again shown excellent achievements in school and they were honoured with a Certificate of Achievement. You can find a detailed report about the farewell party here

steps in Gobabis

Foundation laid

The construction of the carpenters’ workshop and the computer school has finally now begun. On St. Nicholas Day the foundation for the roof was laid and it’s going to be put up in a few days. With the carpenters’ workshop we are creating up to five new jobs (supporting up to 50 people); furthermore, we are getting an income that is being used for the soup kitchen for the approximately 300 children of this project. In the computer school we want to teach the children and youth from the slums in the neighbourhood (15,000 people are living there in miserable conditions) and give them the chance for a better future. To furnish the computer school with 15 linked PCs, tables, chairs and long-term use (free schooling for disadvantaged children and youth from the Epako slum) we still need donations of 4.500€. We are grateful for your support

This project is being supported by means of the Norddeutschen Stiftung für Umwelt und Entwicklung.

Roof extension will create more space

We are going to convert the roof of our guest house in Gobabis (a big room for groups to stay in is planned), and as well build another bathroom. On the main floor, we are building a kitchen, putting in new safety locks on the doors and taking care of some renovation work. By doing this, we would like to receive more income by renting it next year.

New steps-Project in Otavi

A new beginning with pre-school and computer school

At steps for children we are happy that we’ve found a suitable cooperative partner for the third project in Namibia: the Johanniter hostel Khoaeb in Otavi. The city of Otavi has 7,000 inhabitants and is between Otjiwarongo and the Etosha plains. The Johanniter hostel is a school hostel for 110 children of black farm workers within a radius of up to 80 kilometres around Otavi. The children from classes 1 to 12 are sleeping there and they are not only being given three meals a day, but they are also being supported by personal homework care so that a successful school career is the beginning of a better future.

steps for children is starting in this hostel with the support of the management of the Johanniter hostel, a pre-school with two teachers beginning with 30 children (10 children of farm workers and 20 children from the surrounding slums). Furthermore we are setting up a computer school with about 15 workstations at the beginning of next year.

Susan du Toit, Marianne Sack and the team of the Johanniter-Heim, in the middle Michael Hoppe

The income from the computer school is going to be used to pay the wages of the teachers. In the long run, further income generating steps are planned to make more social steps or an extension of the pre-school possible.
Whoever would like to donate for the furnishing of the new pre-school (about 8.000€) or the new computer school can do this online or pay directly on the steps account 1238149726 at the Hamburger Sparkasse (BLZ 200 505 50).

steps in Germany

Night of the Profs

The organizers Matthias Hunecke and Christian Horneber with Michael Hoppe at the turn tables

On November 17th 2011 a lecture of a special kind took place for the 2,600 students of the university of Oldenburg and Jade Hochschule: 16 professors exchanged their lecterns for turn tables. This was much to the joy of the party crowd and steps for children since the income from this super event went to our organization. Thanks to all party friends, students, professors and as well both organizers, for choosing steps as the supported project.

Quiet heroes

We would like to draw your interest to an interesting photo exhibition of the organization HelpAge: “Quiet heroes. Africa’s grandmothers in their fight against HIV/AIDS”. The exhibition in the city hall of Altona (first floor) in Hamburg is ending on December 20th. The framework with different events for the topic of this exhibition is being arranged by steps for children as well. On December 14th at 19:00 o’clock I will report from the steps projects in W3-workshop for international culture and politics - Nernstweg 32-34 in 22765 Hamburg. We are looking forward to your visit.

Partnership with Daycare Centre SOLKids Hannover

In November, the daycare centre SOLKids in Hannover, society for daycare and schools started their partnership with the project steps for children. The children and also their parents and of course the daycare leader Mrs. Hägele and the group leader Mrs. Schulze are very excited to get more news about the life of the children in their partner class in Okakarara, exchange pictures and information and to be much closer to the pre-school children soon. Already this year the daycare centre SOLKids is contributing with a donation so that the steps class will have a perfect start in January. Thanks a lot to Hannover!

steps gifts for big and small

You would like to make your loved ones happy for Christmas and at the same time help other people in the world? Consider a certificate from steps for children for the following gifts:

• I’m giving learning material to a pre-school class for one year (20 Euro)

• I’m giving 4 children two meals a day in the soup kitchen (40 Euro)

• I’m giving the monthly wage of a cook (100 Euro)

• I’m giving a teacher’s wage for one month (140 Euro)

• I’m a sponsor for a pre-school child for one year (295 Euro)

Please look as well in our online shops where you can find aprons, bags, backpacks, cushion covers and much more:
http://de.dawanda.com/shop/Stepsforchildren

We are adding frames

We are thanking companies and organizations for their generous support by framing them on our website. By clicking on the frames you are getting further information about the company or organization as well as their involvement for steps for children. You are always seeing a random selection – please check yourself and add more information about your company or organization

» Spendertafeln

Like this = 2 Euro and apps for steps

The duerenhoff GmbH, a premium provider in the segment of SAP personal coaching, is starting a very special Christmas action for steps for children. For each fan of their Facebook site, who’s clicking on the „Like this“-button up to December 24th, the enterprise is donating 2 Euro for steps for children. If you like this, say it publicly: http://de-de.facebook.com/duerenhoff

As well Spreadly, provider of an innovative Social Sharing-Button (with one click you can spread feedback at the same time on facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and GoogleBuzz) is donating again for steps for children. You are choosing the amount: With
With each click on the pink LIKE Button in Spreadly‘s Blog steps receives 2 Euro.

Mikas Adventures for children!
Not only apps for children in Europe but also help to those who are living far from iPads and iPhones is on the mind of the company zuuka who is also supporting steps: 50 percent of the income of the sale of the children’s book app „Mika“ is being donated to steps for children. This donation action of zuuka is running during the whole advent season up to Christmas 2011. Please join Mika on his adventure trip with beautiful animations and a warm story-telling voice: » to Mika.

steps as guest – in the Hamburg city hall, in college
and media

On November 29th Simone Damak and I accepted an invitation to the mayor’s hall in the city hall. The 16 Hamburg prize winners of the contest “365 places in the land of ideas” received the certificate, signed by the president Christian Wulff, in a festive act there. Jan Pörksen, council of state of the authority for work, social, families and integration, and Juliane von Trotha, project manager of “Germany – land of ideas” Berlin, honoured the “Chosen Places 2011” who have made various initiatives for future abilities and opportunities. I’ve thanked the organizers for their support. steps for children is being broadcasted far beyond Hamburg thanks to this contest. You can find a report about the reception » at Hamburg1.

Furthermore I’ve presented steps for children in November to the students of the tourist and event classes of the EBC college. They decided spontaneously after the speeches to support the project by, for example, offering ideas for possible charity events and offering themselves as volunteers. There’s a report about my speech on the EBC internet page at http://www.ebc-hochschule.de/aktuelles.html

You can also read a report about me in Lufthansa exclusive under the title » Gewinn fühlt sich jetzt anders an.

Christmas cards and calendars

In this way we would like to thank the company Geese Papier in Hamburg (from 2012 on in Henstedt Ulzburg). They have donated a large amount of the paper for the Christmas cards. You can order the cards and 2012 calendars » in our shop.

One tip to keep in head for next year: All Christmas cards as well as the calendar can be printed with your logo and individual text when you are ordering a large quantity. You can obtain more information by contacting us.

Thanks a lot! Our ambassador Dirk von Zitzewitz has a wish

I’m herewith giving my big thanks to all supporters of steps for children. Without you we would never have started the third steps project after only five years, and we would not have given the chance for a better future to 700 children. Only together we can make the world a bit more just – keep sticking to this vision. All steps children, workers and I are wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy new year 2012!

Our ambassador Dirk von Zitzewitz: „In the meantime my wife Sabine was able to visit the two existing projects for a longer period of time and convince herself of the impact of steps for children. I’m even more enthusiastic than before about this project approach and my wish for Christmas is that still more children in the steps projects can get the chance for a better future through the support of our sponsors.”

Each week there is news from Namibia and the work in Germany. Please check our website. Under steps aktuell we are reporting regularly about the projects, trips and activities. Or become our friend in facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/steps-for-children-OKAKARARA/134042524084).

Many good wishes,
Michael Hoppe
Husumer Str. 3
20251 Hamburg
T 040 480 39 50
M 0172 413 55 88
F 0180 522 1040 414
www.doc-hoppe.de
www.stepsforchildren.de
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