From child to child - aid campaigns for schoolchildren in Namibia
The steps for children foundation was once again actively supported by schools from Hamburg and the surrounding area in 2021. With creative fundraising campaigns, classes, project groups, parents' council, school management and teachers campaigned for children on the other side of the world (12,000 km away). The donations from the schools not only make a large and important contribution to the work of steps, they also enable emergency aid during the pandemic and sustainable education for guardian angel children. With the actions and reactions of steps, the pupils also learn a lot more about the projects, the lives of Namibian children on site and their difficulties, especially in times of Corona.
Foundation founder Dr Michael Hoppe gave lectures at two schools in Hamburg last year on the lives of children and young people in Namibia, the work of steps for children and the increasingly difficult situation in poor neighbourhoods due to the pandemic.
Thanks to many teachers and parents' groups, the schools have been supporting the steps projects for years. New ideas and activities are constantly being developed with which the schoolchildren want to help their peers - and they do!
The drive and outcome of the pupils who actively campaigned for a fairer world last year was great. Here is a little insight into the schools and the fundraising campaigns of our steps heroes!
The school at Gartenstadt Hamburg
The children and teachers at Schule an der Gartenstadt have been campaigning for steps since 2012. Last year, we once again raised a considerable four-figure sum through a successful charity run! In addition, a primary school class once again supported a guardian angel child in Namibia. For example baked the class 2c for the guardian angel children (2019). Guardian angel sponsorships sustainably secure the educational measures for the local children. On behalf of all steps children and young people, we would like to thank the Schule an der Gartenstadt.
Children's rights
Children's rights
Christmas baking
Christmas baking
Charity run
Charity run
Charity run
Charity run
Willms Grammar School Delhmenhorst
The grammar school on Willmsstraße Supports already since 2009 the steps for children project in Okakarara, a small community in northern Namibia, from the proceeds of the Christmas bazaar. As an example: in 2018, the 5th to 10th graders at the grammar school have already showed full commitment with a charity run. We are also very grateful to the teachers at Willms Gymnasium, who have been financially supporting pre-school education at this location for over 12 years.
In 2021, a group of students from the Willms Grammar School created an online video Advent calendar for the Advent season. One door and thus one video was dedicated to steps for children! Thank you dear pupils of Willms Gymnasium for this great and creative campaign.
Here you can see the great video of the student group:
And Michael Hoppe also receives his thanks on behalf of the teachers:
Theodor-Heuss-School Pinneberg
The pupils of the AG „THS does good“ have once again put their all into fundraising in 2021. There was a charity run and an Advent bazaar. The foundation was represented by a small stand at the bazaar.
Bags and Aprons from the sewing room in Okakarara were sold. There was a great deal of interest, especially among sixth form students who wanted to have a Volunteering after school.
You can read more about the THS campaign for steps here:
Christianeum Grammar School Hamburg
The pupils from the Christianeum have, with the support of the Parents' Council, once again shown how fundraising despite Corona conditions goes.
Decentralised and autonomous, they are on the Alster sailed, in a forest ridden, a few laps around a pond run, have been working with the Stand-Up Paddleboard explored the canals and were Inlining along the Elbe. All in favour of two aid projects - one of which was steps for children. In 2021, a remarkable four-figure sum was also raised, experienced and additional donations collected at a bazaar and as part of an open house to introduce the school! In addition, proceeds from the Advent music days and DVD sales were also received.
The Christianeum also has „Before Covid“ in the B.C. period“ donations with creative campaigns collected. For example, there was a wonderful School concert in the Michel and a Art auction pictures painted by the pupils themselves in the Elbe shopping centre.
Eppendorf grammar school
The Eppendorf grammar school has a pupils' association - the „Hege Helping Hands“. The association consists of pupils, teachers, parents, many other interested activists and sponsors who have been strongly committed to steps for many years.
With their activities, the Hege Helping Hands offer the children and young people at our school the opportunity not only to recognise their social responsibility, but also to actively assume it. After all, this is also part of the holistic educational mission of schools: we want to promote the further development of empathy, cosmopolitanism and a sense of social responsibility. With our donations and donations, we support people who have been marginalised by flight, illness, homelessness, old age or other reasons.
For several years now, a group of around 14 pupils and teachers from Hamburg's Gymnasium Eppendorf have travelled to Namibia during the autumn holidays. Pupils and teachers have been involved at our Gobabis site since 2015. Here in the photo, they are actively involved and provide valuable support for our steps projects and our Partner project Light for the Children. Together with the project staff, they build, screw and saw and help to erect sturdy huts for our steps homes families. In other years, they have built a playground and laid stones for a forecourt
Bergstedt district school
Here is another example. The graduating class of the Bergstedt district school actually wanted to celebrate properly and organise a graduation ball. But everything turned out differently in 2020. The school leavers therefore decided to donate the money raised through various campaigns - and thought of the steps children!
We are always deeply impressed and surprised and very grateful for the great activities that are created! We particularly like the fact that the schools despite the pandemic and the restrictions, have found creative ways to collect donations and provide support for children and young people in Namibia.
You show how it is possible to have fun and support young people in difficult situations. You have looking beyond the „edge of the plate“ in Hamburg! We would like to thank the schools for their commitment in favour of steps for children!
Together you have achieved a considerable volume of donations, which was used in 2021 especially for the existential care of people in Namibian poor neighbourhoods.
Surely there are other teachers, pupils or grandparents whose grandchildren go to school... Become active yourself now.
Here you can find further suggestions and materials for schools, teachers, pupils and all steps heroes. And don't forget:
„Lots of little people, which are many small Locations do lots of little things, can change the face of the world. “ (African proverb)
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