Homag supports the expansion of the St. Justines School in Kidatu, thus helping to ensure a good school education for 200 children and orphans.
After Ligna 2017, the proceeds from Hoamg demonstration parts again went to an organization in urgent need of help. With the HOMAG Cares initiative, the company is doing good in several places at once: unusual and practical demonstration parts find their place in the homes of trade fair visitors around the globe – at the same time, the proceeds benefit people who are facing challenges and urgently need the money.
As part of “Homag Cares Were presented at Ligna 2017 by the demonstration parts 2.000 euros were raised, which were doubled by Homag after the fair. The donation of 4.000 euros went to the organization “Future Chances – For Kids and Poor in Tanzania (ped-world e.V.)”, where Homag is helping to expand and set up a school to provide poor children with a good education.
Full commitment to sustainable projects
The face of the organization is Petra Bernhardt from Weil der Stadt near Boblingen, Germany. She has made it her mission to implement educational projects in Tanzania: “A few years ago, I became aware of a school that until then had been primarily concerned with primary school education: the St. Justines School in Kidatu.
This small school was founded by Tanzanian teachers to provide education for the poorest children and orphans – a situation that is often found in Tanzania, as the places at state schools are often insufficient.”
The small village of Kidatu is located in the Udzungwa Mountains, one of the last mountain rainforests in East Africa. Around half of all children there currently have no access to education. Petra Bernhardt and her team are now expanding the existing school there.
“The school already teaches English to the youngest children. This increases the chance of a better professional future for the students immensely. The main goal of the St. Justines School is to reduce the lack of school places for primary and secondary schools. Our dream has now come true, because we have already started building a primary school for 200 children, says Petra Bernhardt.
Focus on sustainability
Petra Bernhardt is using the money from Homag for her next project. As soon as the primary school is completed, the school wants to start building a secondary school. The Homag Cares donation will go towards the buildings and the purchase of school furniture.
The construction projects can be seen at www.futurechances.org live. But that’s not all: Those who want to help quickly can also donate goats for poor families on the website or help finance a rice field.
For Petra Bernhardt, one thing is paramount when it comes to using the donations: sustainability. “Before we spend money on something, we make a financial plan and calculate everything. The donations are intended to further develop the village in the long term and enable the residents to become independent. We have therefore already set up some agricultural projects to ensure that the monthly fixed costs for the schools are covered”, says Bernhardt.
Homag Cares gives children the chance of education
The donation was handed over by Ulrich Schmitz, Managing Director of Homag GmbH. “We are impressed by the work of Future Chances (ped-world e.V.) and we are happy that we can support such an important project with our donation. Here, you simply know that every cent goes where it is needed.”
And further: “For us the chance of education is almost a matter of course – for many other people it is not. I was recently on a trip to Tanzania and saw how urgently support is needed in some places. In order to develop the country sustainably and to fight poverty, the opportunity for education – especially for the younger generations – is the decisive building block.”