Hamburg, October 19, 2022

the serious effects of the corona pandemic and the Ukraine war can be clearly felt in Namibia:

The economic downturn caused by the pandemic and now the current increase in the price of energy and staple foods are hitting low-income families in particular.

44 bear_CR Raimar von Wienskowski_XX_with CR

Poverty and hunger increase. Namibia currently ranks 80th out of 116 countries in the Global Hunger Index and falls into the “serious” severity category. Particularly affected - the children.

The importance of our soup kitchens in these uncertain times continues to increase, we are increasingly feeding more family members of our steps children. During the long holidays, children and young people also like to use the learning opportunities from steps. Not only were they able to work off the learning deficits that arose during the pandemic, but they could finally breathe deeply again in the protected rooms of the steps facilities and try out sports and games.

The rising costs and inflation we also feel this when it comes to the costs for our guardian angel children and young people. Of course, we continue to support them and are constantly expanding the program, with comprehensive educational offers and support more children can start their lives independently, strong and self-determined. For our children from the informal settlements, who hardly get any support from their environment, steps is the only chance to break the cycle of poverty. Rarely is the value of education recognized by parents and guardians. Through constant discussions, close supervision and consistent measures, we make education relevant step by step - also in the living environment of the children. And make progress, despite crises. Three of our children are already studying in Windhoek, three more in Kombat and seven are preparing for university courses.

So our guardian angel program is particularly close to my heart. I had good starting conditions myself and would like to give something back. If you would like to support me, I would be very happy.

cordially

Michael Hoppe

STEPS IN NAMIBIA

Our guardian angels

Our guardian angels are an enormous support for particularly motivated, socially excluded children and young people in Namibia who are threatened by poverty. We thank all guardian angels very much for this.

We are convinced that education is not only a fundamental right, but also the key to breaking the cycle of poverty on your own.

However, due to several factors the costs per guardian angel child have risen significantly in recent years. Some of them are:

The Namibian government reintroduced and increased school fees.
School books and work materials must be purchased for each school child.
Inflation in Namibia is rising rapidly, the cost of school uniforms alone has increased by around 25%.
The food costs for the meals of the guardian angel children have also risen sharply.

We continuously support our guardian angel children and young people as well as our students. We would also like to further expand our support program so that we can continue to take in new guardian angel children every year.

Because our program has a lasting effect:

The drop-out rate of the sponsored children is significantly lower than that of non-guardian angel children.
Children from the guardian angel program have a higher grade point average than the class average.
Early pregnancies are less common than in adolescents outside the program.
Young mothers come back to our educational institutions after childbirth to continue attending school.
Since the start of the support, 13 of the supported girls and boys have passed their Abitur.
Six of them have already started their studies.

A great effort by children who grew up in the informal settlements. Our steps guardian angels have made it possible for us to accompany and support over 145 children and young people from the poorest backgrounds on their educational path every year.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting our steps education program, with which we give the children and young people in Namibia a chance for a better and self-determined life.

Detailed information and answers about our Guardian Angel program can be found here:

FAQs

Drawing of a guardian angel child

Now become a guardian angel for a child, 1st – 7th grade

Support our guardian angel children from the 1st grade with 31 € per month.
A continuous donation ensures the support of our children in the steps facilities even in uncertain times.

Guardian angel teenagers in afternoon class

Now become a guardian angel for a young person, 8th grade - Abitur

Support our guardian angel youth from the 8th grade with 61 € per month.
A long-term donation has a particularly long-term effect in order to optimally secure the educational opportunities for the young people.

DONATE HERE

STEPS IN ZIMBABWE

economic empowerment

Through vocational training and support in gainful employment and self-employment

© Lina Zangers

Symbolic picture from Namibia with a steps seamstress.

As part of another joint project with the Help with Plan and Plan International foundation in Zimbabwe, we are supporting the vocational training of 130 young people. They either finished school or dropped out. Their social skills are strengthened in training courses and together we determine which fields of work match their wishes and abilities.

The young people then take part in relevant professional training courses. A starter kit helps when starting a career and should enable the step into self-employment. In cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, annual job fairs are also held to network young people with local employers.

Your donation works!
Support the professional perspectives for 130 young people in Zimbabwe and thus support people on the fringes of society,
fighting for a chance on the job market.

With 250 € the costs for the promotion in
taken over from our training for 1 young people.

ZIMBABWE

STEPS IN GERMANY

A sunny festival of foundations

Thanks to our dedicated team of volunteers from Hamburg and the surrounding area, we were represented at the foundation festival in Planten un Bloomen in June with an information stand and lottery procedure. In addition to a colorful stage program, the visitors of the festival were able to find out about the work of steps in Namibia and came in large numbers to our stand.

ALAFIA Africa Festival

2022

This year, the universally popular and always well-attended Alafia Africa Festival in Altona took place in the open air again. We are pleased that four committed people from our volunteer team presented a small information stand for steps. Some visitors to the stand took part in our little info quiz with interest.

We would like to thank Anton Rathgeb, Birgit Eckert, Brigitta Joost, Luise Dechow and Tews Koll for their active involvement at the Hamburg Foundation Festival and the ALAFIA Africa Festival
We look forward to many more festivals and information stands with you!

6th charity golf tournament for steps for children

To our great delight, wph Wohnbau und Projektentwicklung Hamburg GmbH organized the 6th charity golf event in favor of steps for children - and far exceeded its intended fundraising goal. Campaigns such as the “50 € per birdie” and “150 € per eagle” campaign as well as other generous individual donations raised a five-digit record sum.

Golfpark Weidenhof in Pinneberg made the course available again this year. 63 golfers took part in the tournament and nine tried their hand at taster golf. As usual, the wph did not charge a registration fee, provided food and drinks and asked for donations for steps for children instead of a participation fee.

“The real estate industry finds itself in difficult waters. The amount of money donated is all the more astonishing. This shows how important it is for our guests, our friends, to come together for this good cause. We are very grateful for that,” says Simon Vollmer, Managing Director of wph Wohnbau und Projektentwicklung Hamburg GmbH. "We hope that this will continue in the years to come."

Many guests once again found the current situation report from Namibia by Michael Hoppe to be very enriching and there was an open exchange on the current situation in Namibia and on the travel conditions afterwards.

On behalf of the steps children on site and the entire steps team, we would like to thank all golfers and the organization team from the bottom of our hearts
the wph for their commitment and the repeated great organization of this special event in favor of steps for children.

Your birthday fundraiser

Dear Mr Buma,

You dedicated your 60th birthday to the steps children and young people in Namibia - and made a valuable contribution to their development with a four-digit amount that you and your guests raised. Together with you, we create educational opportunities and future prospects.

We thank you very much, dear Alex Buma, for your commitment and wish you all the best!

you want your birthday
Dedicate steps for children and start a fundraiser?

FUNDRAISER

If you have any questions, material requests or suggestions, please contact us at info@stepsforchildren.de

Do you like steps for children and the work with which we enable people in Namibia and Zimbabwe to have future opportunities? You have your own newsletter distribution list and could use yours Reach donate? Then feel free to send our content, link our posts or tag us on social media.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

The steps for children foundation was founded in 2005 in Hamburg by Dr. Michael Hoppe founded. It now operates at eight locations in Namibia and Zimbabwe, where it is committed to improving educational opportunities for girls and boys from the poor neighborhoods. Over 3.000 children can take part in education and take a warm meal every day at steps and its partner projects.

Hamburger Sparkasse, account: 1238149726, bank code: 200 505 50
IBAN: DE44 2005 0550 1238 1497 26, BIC: HASPDEHHXXX
PayPal: paypal@stepsforchildren.de
or www.stepsforchildren.de