The founders and sponsors of “Life and Vision for Kids” have proven their qualifications and reliability over decades as entrepreneurs and companies in Germany. With their name and reputation, they stand for the efficiency and transparency of all the means they make available to us to achieve our goals. We would like to thank you in advance for your trust and your generous donations!
We know very well that we cannot save the world alone, but we can make it a little bit better every day.
1: How did the idea for the “Life and Vision” come about?
The question can best be answered with “a learning process”. We first came to South Africa in February 2002 and were fascinated by the country and its people, making it our favourite holiday destination. In 2018 we started fostering and placing a 2 year old child in a nursery. Shortly afterwards we were confronted with the fact that exactly this kindergarten had been broken into and had been completely robbed.
We spontaneously decided to help so that the children would have toys again to continue running the kindergarten. This was our first experience with the “dark side” of South Africa. However, it was also a positive experience of what can be achieved with direct and quick help. Within hours, we were able to turn crying children and devastated caregivers into smiling children and hope among the caregivers.
In 2020 we were again confronted with a kindergarten that was in a desolate state and had also been robbed. This was accompanied by a children’s home in an equally, to put it mildly, “modest condition”. Here, too, we were involved in the reconstruction and renewal of the inventory with a considerable amount of money. All this was done by directly purchasing materials and directly commissioning and paying craftsmen. Many of them were only willing to accept the orders if we backed them. Some even provided materials and labour free of charge.
This was the first time that barriers appeared. It was made clear to us that direct help is rather undesirable and that everything should be done through several hands. One of the big problems (but not only in South Africa) was on the agenda – corruption.
As we had already resisted this kind of business in Germany, we saw no reason to start or accept it in South Africa. For us this is always a clear NO GO!
The experience of how much you can achieve with money if you invest directly in social projects without much administration and “intermediaries” and have direct insight and influence led to the foundation of Life and Vision.
“Life and Vision for Kids” is the most direct way from donor to project.
In the short time we have been working, we have already been able to make an incredible difference. This gives us the courage to continue on this path.
2: The project aims to improve life and future opportunities for kids in South Africa. Why there and what are the biggest challenges in this country?
Let us first answer the question “Why in South Africa”. We know that extremely large sums of money are donated worldwide. We have also donated a lot in our lives and that is a good thing. For us, the magic word today is “efficiency”. Without much administrative effort and with direct investment of the funds, we could and can make an incredible difference. South Africa because we are here on site and therefore all funds are used in a controlled way.
One of the biggest challenges from our point of view is closing the extremely large gap between rich and poor and affordable access to qualified education.
3: You have both achieved a lot as successful entrepreneurs. What do you bring to this project from your wealth of experience?
One essential point is to be a fair, credible and reliable partner for people. To develop ideas, to be a role model and to motivate people. And don’t forget that one of the keys to success is to be able to put the WE above the ME. In particular, also making decisions and then implementing them, as well as learning from mistakes.
4: What do you wish for Life and Vision in the next five years?
That we can further expand our project “Handicraft Lessons” and that the concept serves as a blueprint in other places. Of course, we would also like to have a broad donor base to support the projects of promoting gifted children, financing teaching materials, health care and, difficult for us in Europe to imagine, to have the means to provide soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hygiene articles, etc. to the children on a permanent basis.