Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul praised the willingness of young people to work for others as "especially important and an example to us all". The unique feature of this initiative is the personal commitment of young people. "They do not keep the money they have earned, but use it to help children in Africa. That is exemplary – and it is an example that many adults could also follow," declared the minister.
Initiatives such as "Your Day for Africa" raise the awareness of young people for the concerns and poverty of our neighbouring continent. "It cannot only be on the agenda when the G8 states meet in Heiligendamm," said Wieczorek-Zeul.
Instead of going to school, the young people organised special events or took on a job. Over-thirteen year-olds worked in supermarkets, flower shops, offices and garages. Younger schoolchildren cleaned the village square or babysat. They then donated the wage for their day's work.
No future without education
Millions of children in Africa have not one day off school, but the entire year – but not by choice. In Africa only one in two children go to school. Orphans and children of poor families, who cannot afford the school fees, have it particularly hard. That is why the money raised will go to education projects of UNICEF and the Human Help Network e.V. in various African states, in Angola, Burundi, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Sudan to be precise.
Education is crucial in many fields, explained Wieczorek-Zeul. "Only when Africa's young people have prospects and the chance to get an education will we too be able to live in peace and prosperity in the long term," she went on. That is why she welcomes the fact that the proceeds of this special event will go specifically to fund education projects for children and young people in Africa. Education missed at this age is very difficult to make up at a later date, the minister summed up.
Raising awareness about Africa
The "Aktion Tagwerk" team takes its info-mobile from school to school, to bring Africa into school instruction. They raise the awareness of children and young people in Germany for the problems faced by their counterparts in developing countries, give talks and work out lesson plans. This special event has its roots in Rhineland-Palatinate, whose Premier Kurt Beck is patron.
Since the launch of "Aktion Tagwerk" four years ago, some 500,000 schoolchildren have been involved in the campaign. A total of four million euros has been raised for children in Africa. The Mainz-based association is staffed mainly by committed young people, who are on a gap year to perform voluntary work. They are joined by a large number of students, interns, helpers and interested schoolchildren, who support the association on a voluntary basis.
