Why should I become a Schutzengel?
Our Schutzengel are a tremendous support for especially motivated, socially excluded and poverty-threatened children and young people in Namibia. For that, we thank all Schutzengel very much.
We are convinced that education is not only a fundamental right, but also the key to breaking the cycle of poverty through one’s own efforts.
However, due to several factors, the costs per Schutzengel child have risen significantly in recent years. Some of these are:
- The Namibian state has reintroduced and increased school fees.
- Schoolbooks and learning materials must be purchased separately for every schoolchild.
- Inflation in Namibia is rising rapidly; the costs for school uniforms alone have increased by around 25%.
- The food costs for the meals of the Schutzengel children have also risen sharply.
We continuously support our Schutzengel children and young people, as well as our students. We also want to further expand our support programme so that we can continue to take in new Schutzengel children every year.
Because our programme has a lasting impact:
- The drop-out rate of supported children is significantly lower than among non-Schutzengel children.
- Children from the Schutzengel programme have a higher average grade in their report cards than the class average.
- Early pregnancies are less common than among young people outside the programme.
- Young mothers return to our educational institutions after giving birth in order to continue attending school.
- Since the start of our support, 13 of the supported girls and boys have already completed their Abitur.
- Six of them have already started university studies.
An outstanding achievement by children who have grown up in the Informal Settlements. Our steps patrons have made it possible for us to now support and promote over 145 children and young people from the poorest backgrounds on their educational journey every year, in the long term.
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for supporting our steps education programme, which gives children and young people in Namibia a chance at a better, self-determined life.
steps patron children during afternoon lessons solving maths problems.
