We are excellent
2011 land of ideas
steps for children was among 2.600 applications "Selected Place 2011 in the Land of Ideas". This makes the foundation an award winner and ambassador in the "365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas" competition and represents Germany's innovation potential. Under the patronage of the Federal President and in cooperation with Deutsche Bank, the competition focuses on ideas and projects that actively shape the future of Germany.
startsocial 2008
We received great recognition in 2008 from Chancellor Angela Merkel, the patron of www.startsocial.de, who are committed to the sustainable promotion of social, voluntary projects through knowledge transfer from business and non-profit organizations. As part of a competition, steps for children was one of the 1000 federal winners from over 25 applicants and was personally honored by the Chancellor at a reception.
2016 Award of the Federal Cross of Merit on ribbon
September 13, 2016. "It was only through the interaction and cooperation of the many supporters that we were able to achieve 'great things' and that is why this award applies to all those involved in the development and implementation of the steps for children projects." Michael Hoppe
2019 Encore Award
Michael Hoppe did it! After he was among the winners of the startsocial competition and received the Dove of Peace and the Federal Cross of Merit, the Körber Foundation presented him with the bonus award on June 4, 2019. Michael Hoppe donates his prize money of 30.000 euros to steps for children. The prize money is intended to further improve the education of children in Namibia via the guardian angel program, to support teachers and to take in more orphans in steps homes families.
“Another part is to be invested in the income-generating steps in order to create more jobs and generate income from the projects for the projects. Organizational measures, better training of employees and new income-generating projects are necessary for this, ”said Michael Hoppe. We congratulate Michael Hoppe on this recognition and wish him many more encores!
2012 dove of peace
In 2012 Michael Hoppe was presented with the Peace Dove on behalf of steps for children. On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the “Declaration of General Human Rights” on December 10, 2008, the artist Richard Hillinger created 30 full-size golden pigeons. Each of these birds represents one of the 30 articles of the human rights declaration. They all carry the olive branch in their beaks as a symbol of peace and have figuratively roamed the world ever since. Well-known personalities or institutions who work in a special way to uphold human rights are honored with these works of art, among them, for example, Mikhail Gorbachev, Muhammed Yunus or the Dalai Lama.
Michael Hoppe said after the handover:
“The success of steps is based day after day on the cooperative cooperation and commitment of colleagues, volunteers and sponsors in Germany as well as the valuable work of all employees and children in Namibia. So I want to share this Peacekeeping Award with everyone. It's great that we are working together to make the world a little bit better step by step and place by place. ”