RFG Update
by Paul Klahre
On 11 July 2024, we had the opportunity to hold a 3-hour workshop for a group of dedicated students at the “genialsozial” summer camp. This programme of the Saxon Youth Foundation, dedicated to global engagement, is funding the purchase of two plots of land and the construction of a new children's and youth center for Root Foundation in Kigali.
Over the course of three hours, we took the 12 participants on a journey through our cooperation project. Together, we explored the problems that motivate our work and discussed possible solutions in global cooperation. Subsequently, the focus fell on the necessary steps to implement our specific center project as such a solution, alongside an exchange on the impact and relevance of the project. We also discussed the learning experiences and challenges extensively in order to provide a concrete insight into the implementation.
The absolute highlight of the afternoon was a direct video call with Duniya, the director of Root Foundation in Rwanda. This was a welcome surprise for the participants, who had previously collected open questions and thus had the opportunity to discuss them directly with Duniya. He also gave an impromptu tour of the new center, where many Root Foundation activities were in full swing. Overall, the workshop offered the chance to present the work of Root Foundation in Rwanda as well as the way the German association works.
For our board members Leander and Paul, this was a special reunion with students who had already been members of the young jury at the selection event for the project in 2022 and had voted in favour of our project. We were therefore able to report on the progress and success of the project directly to those who had made the decision to support Root Foundation at the time. The wide-eyed amazement at the live video insight of the almost completed center left no doubt: the project is a “complete success”, as the participants agreed. One participant, who has been following Root Foundation on Instagram since 2022, said: “Seeing the progress absolutely inspires me for future involvement.”
Thank you to all the dedicated students for your interest in getting involved with Root Foundation in the long term. Thanks also to the Saxon Youth Foundation for the invitation and the successful collaboration. We look forward to further joint projects!
Background
“genialsozial” is a programme organised by the Saxon Youth Foundation in which students from participating schools throughout Saxony spend a day working in companies on an annual campaign day to then donate the money earned to social projects in countries of the Global South. The projects are also selected by dedicated students who form the jury of “genialsozial”. Root Foundation successfully co-applied with Root Foundation Germany e.V. in 2022 and was able to realise its long-standing dream of an independent children's and youth center with a total of €50,000 in funding.
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