From child to child – support 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.
Last year, foundation founder Dr. Michael Hoppe gave talks at two schools in Hamburg about the lives of children and young people in Namibia, the work of steps for children, and the increasingly difficult situation in poor neighborhoods due to the pandemic.
Thanks to many teachers* and parent groups, the schools have been supporting the steps projects for years. New ideas and activities keep emerging through which the schoolchildren want to help their peers—and do so!
The drive and the results of the students who actively campaigned for a fairer world last year were impressive. Here is a small insight into the schools and fundraising campaigns of our steps heroines and heroes!
Schule an der Gartenstadt Hamburg
Since 2012, the children and teachers at Schule an der Gartenstadt have been involved with steps. Last year, another successful charity run once again raised a considerable four-figure sum! In addition, a primary school class once again supported a guardian angel child in Namibia. For example, class 2c baked for the guardian angel children (2019). Guardian angel sponsorships sustainably secure educational opportunities for the children on site. On behalf of all steps children and young people, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Schule an der Gartenstadt.
Children's rights
Children's rights
Christmas baking
Christmas baking
Sponsored run
Sponsored run
Sponsored run
Sponsored run
Willms Gymnasium Delhmenhorst
The Gymnasium an der Willmsstraße supports since 2009 the steps for children project in Okakarara, a small community in northern Namibia, with proceeds from the Christmas bazaar. For example: in 2018, students in grades 5 to 10 at the school already showed their full commitment in a sponsored run. We are also very grateful to the teachers* at Willms Gymnasium, who have been financially supporting pre-school education at this location for more than 12 years.
In 2021, a group of students from the Willms Gymnasium created an online video Advent calendar during Advent. One door, and thus one video, was dedicated to steps for children! Many thanks, dear students of Willms Gymnasium, for this wonderful 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 students from the “THS tut Gutes” group once again pulled out all the stops when collecting donations in 2021. There was a charity run as well as a Christmas bazaar. At the bazaar, the foundation was represented by a small stand.
Bags and aprons from the sewing workshop in Okakarara were sold. There was great interest, especially among upper-secondary students who could imagine doing a volunteer placement after school.
Here you can read more about THS’s campaign for steps:
Christianeum Grammar School Hamburg
The students from Christianeum, with the support of the parents’ council, have once again shown how to collect donations despite coronavirus restrictions.
Decentralized and on their own initiative, they sailed on the Alster, rode through a forest, ran a few laps around a pond, explored the canals on a stand-up paddleboard and skated along the Elbe on inline skates. All this was in aid of two charitable projects – one of them was steps for children. In 2021, too, a remarkable four-figure sum was raised through running and cycling, and additional donations were collected at a bazaar and as part of an open house held to present the school! Proceeds from the Advent music days and DVD sales were also included.
Even in the B.C. “Before Covid” era, Christianeum collected donations through creative campaigns. For example, there was a wonderful student concert at the Michel and an art auction of pictures painted by the students at the Elbe Einkaufszentrum.
Eppendorf grammar school
At Gymnasium Eppendorf, there is a student association – the “Hege Helping Hands.” The association consists of students, teachers, parents, many other interested volunteers and sponsors who have been actively supporting 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, a group of approx. 14 students and teachers from Hamburg’s Gymnasium Eppendorf travelled to Namibia during the autumn holidays. Since 2015, students and teachers have been involved at our Gobabis location. In this photo, they are hard at work and providing valuable support for our steps projects and our partner project Light for the Children. Together with the project staff, they build, screw and saw, helping to construct sturdy huts for our steps homes families. In other years, they built a playground and laid stones for a forecourt
Bergstedt district school
Here is another example. The graduating class of Stadtteilschule Bergstedt actually wanted to celebrate properly and hold a prom. But everything turned out differently in 2020. Therefore, the graduates thought about donating the money raised through various activities – and remembered the steps children!
We are deeply impressed and surprised every time and very grateful for the wonderful campaigns that emerge! What we find especially wonderful is that schools have found creative ways to collect donations and support children and young people in Namibia despite the pandemic and restrictions.
You show how it is possible to support young people in difficult circumstances with fun. You have looked beyond Hamburg’s horizon! We sincerely thank the schools for their commitment to steps for children!
Overall, together you have achieved a considerable donation volume, which in 2021 was used especially to provide essential support for people in poor neighborhoods in Namibia.
There must surely be other teachers*, students* or grandparents whose grandchildren attend school… Get active yourself now, too.
Here you can find further ideas and materials for schools, teachers, students, and all steps heroes. And don’t forget:
“Many small people, in many small places doing many small things, can change the face of the world.” (African proverb)
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