Our project partners

In order to achieve our goals, we cooperate with professional and experienced local project partners whose work we appreciate. We look forward to working together and thank our partners for their personal commitment.

Clown Doctors Tears of Laughter Würzburg

Laughter is the best medicine – this is the motto of the Clown Doctors of the registered association Lachtränen Würzburg in Germany. The clowns visiting the children’s hospitals and retirement homes provide a therapeutic dose of fantasy, fun and joie de vivre to patients and their families. The clowns dive into the world of the moment with their naively playful curiosity, spontaneously inventing new phantasy worlds. They do magic tricks and tell stories, making people laugh, whisper, sing and dream.

Every encounter creates new games and new moments of happiness that will continue to have a long-lasting effect. Positive moments and shared laughter contribute to people’s well-being and support the healing processes. All Clown Doctors are specially trained artists, therapists, educators and talented professionals from other sectors. They are well prepared for sensitive work with people who are burdened with pain, fears, loneliness and worries.

Regular training and further education help the Clown Doctors to fulfil their tasks in the about 230 visits they take every year to hospitals and retirement homes. Two clowns each move from room to room for a morning or an afternoon. They are also responsible for promotion appearances and the handover of donations. The clown visits are financed exclusively by donations. Every donation, however small, is therefore an indispensable contribution to creating the next moments of happiness.

Don Bosco Mondo

Don Bosco Mondo is a non-governmental organisation for international development. The association supports disadvantaged children and teenagers worldwide across confessional and ideological borders. Education and training give them the chance to lead an independent life in dignity. Local partners in over 130 countries are the Salesians of Don Boscos and the Don Bosco Sisters.

The desire of the Italian priest, educator and founder of the order Johannes Bosco (1815–1888) was to give young people holistic support. His approach was to give them a home, provide training opportunities, share their free time with them, be attentive to their worries and needs and help them develop perspectives for a successful future. Since 1859, the Salesians of Don Bosco have continued this mission in broad range of areas in youth work.

The aim of the Don Bosco Order is to love every disadvantaged child and teenager and to ensure that they have the opportunities for physical, emotional, mental and spiritual development. The support should enable them to reintegrate into society and, if possible, to return to their families.

Don Bosco’s guiding principle is unconditional care and friendship. As a Christian institution, the work of the order is based on Christian teachings and principles and on three pedagogically proven pillars: reason, moral values and loving kindness. Don Bosco supports students in becoming aware of values such as respect for themselves and others, integrity, discipline, hard work, perseverance and spirituality.

Geesdorf Children and Adolescents’ Home

The Children and Adolescents’ Home in Geesdorf, Germany, is home to nine girls and boys. Everyone has their own room, and there’s plenty of space to play. Plus, there’s always something going on. It can be hard work for the social workers and caregivers, but they are all passionate about what they do. After all, some of them have been looking after children and teenagers, who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to live with their parents, for more than 20 years. The home was founded in 1977.

A social worker is always present, and the team put a lot of work into making sure the children and teenagers feel comfortable and at home. After all, they’ve been through a lot of upheaval. But while they don’t see their families as often as they used to, they live together with other children like siblings in a big family. Their parents come to visit from time to time and the children sometimes go home for the weekend.

In the home, the kids play, draw and read, do homework and, of course, help out around the house. They also take an active part in village and association life in Geesdorf. Over the holidays, the children always go away together – often on quite adventurous trips! For those who are unable to go home, they can choose from a range of different children’s or youth camps. There are lots of great options.

Within the local area, there are primary, middle, high and learning support schools for the children to attend. Once the young people graduate from school and start further training, for example apprenticeships, they are welcome to stay at the home.