We have been helping people in need since 1981. We are primarily active in Eastern Europe and Africa. Our focus is on the smallest and most vulnerable members of society: children. We want to help them and their families to lead independent lives in dignity - regardless of religion, origin or gender.

In concrete terms, we make sure

• that children are fed
• that children are sufficiently clothed
• attend school regularly and
• receive medical care.

However, our help does not focus solely on the children. More is needed to ensure that the smallest members of any society can grow up safe and secure. We also take care of the family and the child's environment.

In line with this approach of "Child Focused Development", we work with our local project partners to develop basic infrastructure in local contexts. Agricultural projects, tailor shops and livestock farms are established in villages, as are schools, day care centers, community centers and churches.

ora Kinderhilfe is small enough to be close to the people, but large enough to work professionally.

Our goal is always to enable our neighbors to live a life in dignity. But as a Christian children's charity of manageable size, we cannot help everywhere. We are always faced with the challenge of wanting to help a great deal, but not being able to help everywhere. We have to use our limited resources and forces in a targeted manner.

To do this effectively, we have committed ourselves to the three values of "Personal, Close to people and Authentic". They help us decide where and how to get involved.

It is important to us to be personally acquainted with the people in need whom we help. That's why we work exclusively with local project partners. They know the local situation, the cultural conditions, the language and also the non-verbal customs. We maintain trusting relationships with them for many years.

Our project partners form the bridge for us as ora Kinderhilfe to the sponsored children and their families. With their help we try to find out the needs of the children so that we can help in a way that is of most benefit to them. Their lives should be changed in a positive way so that they become loving and responsible adults. One day they should be able to provide for themselves and support a family.

In addition, we always want to support the whole community. It is important that the entire community experiences progress. This is the only way to ensure the sustainability of our development cooperation.

It is important to us to be close to the people, their living environment and their everyday life. We work exclusively in local or regional contexts. In this limited environment, we are able to gain a deeper understanding of the social structure in order to better understand the circumstances, and to target the deployment of our aid.

We are regularly on the ground and also maintain close contact with our project partners through digital channels. They inform us regularly about how the sponsored children and their families are doing.

Our partners also keep us up to date on current developments in the project. We celebrate each other's successes and are happy to be united in our commitment to children and families in need as well as in our Christian faith.

Often sorrowful, often touching, and definitely authentic are the fates we encounter in our daily work.

We have contact with people who have to live in precarious circumstances because of their place of birth, their gender, their health or their religion. They are children and families to whom we want to provide better living conditions. Meeting them authentically and truthfully is our incentive and obligation.

This is also how we act towards our supporters. It is important to us to report authentically about our work, while also mentioning the limits of our possibilities. We report openly and transparently about what we can achieve and about what is beyond our capabilities.