Insights

Gülhanım has lived in Berlin for more than 44 years. She wants to tackle the problems she sees in Berlin and in society and support women. That's why she founded the association Begegnungs- und Bildungszentrum für Frauen und Familien (BBF) e.V. (Meeting and Education Centre for Women and Families) in 2019 and has been volunteering full-time ever since. The association offers culturally and religiously sensitive counselling on a wide range of topics, including help against domestic violence.

Ulrich was a teacher for a long time. Now retired, he tutors children at Zukunftshaus Wedding. He has accompanied the children for so long that they are now teenagers. His commitment not only helps the children at school, but he also challenges himself again and again and keeps learning. He appreciates the friendliness, helpfulness and appreciation at Zukunftshaus and appeals to everyone to get involved.

Everyone can make a small contribution for everyone, Ursula thought so too. She volunteers to read stories to children in libraries. It's a small gesture that generates a lot of enthusiasm among the little ones and strengthens equal opportunities in education. But Ursula also finds that volunteering enriches her time with other volunteers.

The children's trainers of the Berlin Aikido association have been showing children the fascination of this Japanese martial art for over a decade. In the club, people from all walks of life, different backgrounds and religions meet on the mat to train together. Adults and children share the enthusiasm for a martial art whose goal is the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

At Zeitzeugenbörse e.V., Gertrud makes sure that history is not forgotten. She provides contemporary witnesses to schools and the media and records their experiences in writing. Especially today, with right-wing extremist or anti-Semitic tendencies in society, it is all the more important to document and disseminate the experiences of contemporary witnesses.

The largest children's home in the GDR, the A. S. Makarenko children's home, was located in Königsheide. Thousands of children grew up here - without their parents. Sabrina goes in search of clues. At the Königsheider Eichhörnchen e.V. and at the Königsheide Information and Meeting Centre (IBZ) at the historical site, she is working on the history of the home and bringing families back together.