News: Aktionsgruppe „Kinder in Not“ e.V.

A RAY OF LIGHT IN THE CORONA-CRISIS.

The world is currently in a state of emergency.
Covid-19 itself and the measures imposed to contain the pandemic have had a massive effect on health, social and economic life. As it is often the case, this will particularly affect people who already live on the margins of society.

The Aktionsgruppe “Kinder in Not” e.V. considers the Corona-pandemic a major threat to the progress in the fight against poverty. For 36 years, we have been working in more than 50 relief projects worldwide to improve the education, health, and living conditions of the most destitute.

At the beginning of the pandemic, the governments in our project countries India, Brazil and the Philippines imposed strict lockdowns. This had particularly far-reaching consequences for workers in the informal sector. Migrant workers, day-laborers and domestic workers suddenly lost their income from one day to the next. Without social safety nets this situation is a major threat to the existence of these people. Although the states launched aid-programs, the benefits often reached the poorest late or not at all. In addition to the health threat posed by Covid-19, hunger was and still is the most pressing problem for these people.

Especially children are amongst the hardest hit. When parents lose their jobs and schools close, young people encounter a higher risk of exploitation, violence and abuse. Even today, about half a year after the outbreak of the pandemic, countless girls and boys are still affected by school closures, the lack of school feeding-programs, and the lack of day-care and social contacts.

This is where the long-term commitment and sustainability of Aktionsgruppe “Kinder in Not” e.V. pays off. Thanks to our reliable and committed local project partners in the recent months, we have found ways to provide food to affected children and their families. Gradually education and classes were recommenced – albeit not as usual via face-to-face lessons but rather remotely via learning modules. These alternative learning opportunities are an important step in order to ensure that the weakest do not completely lose the chance of education.

Despite all Corona-restrictions “Kinder in Not” e.V. has succeeded in pushing-through various construction projects. The construction of a new day-care center for slum-children in Metro Cebu, a region on the Philippine Island of Cebu has been completed. The Center will take care of about 120 girls and boys hailing from the surrounding slums, who live there under severe conditions. The preschool-education in this new facility will be the foundation for them to at-tend primary-school successfully in the future. Another project that we financed in India, in the state of Andhra Pradesh is the construction and furnishing of a vocational training center. In the future, training courses in crafts, technical medicine and IT will be offered there. These will help to secure a livelihood for girls and boys hailing from destitute families, for single mothers, and for people with disabilities.

Besides their support of these two construction projects, the Wirtgen family has again covered all administrative costs incurred by Aktionsgruppe “Kinder in Not” e.V., for which we are indeed very grateful.

For our project work for the poorest of the poor, we urgently need financial support. Please help us to help them!

Gisela Wirtgen & her team at the Aktionsgruppe “Kinder in Not” e.V.