A roof over one's head, a decent education, a functioning healthcare system, and the feeling of not having to fight for one's life and existence every single day are things we take for granted. In Kenya, it's anything but. Families have to fear for their survival and that of their children every single day. No one knows in the morning whether there will be enough food in the evening or whether they can afford the essential medications. It's a downward spiral with very little hope of a positive turn. Barbara Weiss, who was born and raised in Kenya, recalls her trip to her homeland in 2005: "That year, I traveled to Kenya for the first time in many years. My little daughter had just turned five and was going to meet her family. I brought clothes and toys that friends had given me for Kenyan children. I was going to visit a friend who also occasionally looked after other children. When I arrived, I learned that my friend had died—of AIDS, as had many of my other school friends, as I gradually discovered. Her two young daughters were now living with their aunt, an old, very poor woman who couldn't really care for them. And the girls were only a year younger than my own daughter! They had measles at the time, a disease that had recently been circulating in my daughter's kindergarten—the difference being that the children here had no access to medical care. I took them to the hospital and looked after them. When I returned to Germany, I had to..." Returning the girls to their aunt was incredibly difficult for me. The two girls kept coming back to me. Back in Cologne, I knew I had to do something to be able to sleep peacefully again. Father Fischer from St. Mary's Parish in Cologne-Weiden, whom I asked for advice, suggested I start an association so the parish could support my work. No sooner said than done, we founded an association, set up a mentoring program, and organized an information booth. At the next parish festival, we were able to place our first five children with mentors, and more people quickly came forward. That was 15 years ago, and today we are proud of what we have already achieved. But there is still so much to do! That's why we continue and are grateful for any support we receive.

Will I receive a donation receipt for my sponsorship money? For donations up to €100, the tax office accepts your bank statement (copy) as proof of donation. Therefore, we only issue a separate donation receipt upon request. For donations over €100, you will automatically receive a tax-deductible donation receipt, which is generated as part of the annual financial statements and sent automatically, usually in January/February of the following year, ensuring it arrives in time for your tax return. Will I receive letters from my sponsored child? Most sponsored children are delighted to receive a letter from you and will gladly reply. They also like to proudly show off photos of you. In rare cases, a child may feel uncomfortable writing a letter. Since we do not force the children to write letters, it is possible that a child might have someone else write a letter on their behalf. We have no control over this, as we do not read the letters and forward them sealed. Will I receive updates from my sponsored child? Yes, at the end of the school term you will receive a letter containing a current photo and the school report. This allows you to follow the child's development. Can I give my sponsored child money? Of course, you can send money to your sponsored child at any time. We will forward it as quickly as possible and without deductions. Simply transfer the amount to the association's account with the following reference: the child's number and name and the word "Gift," "Birthday," "Christmas money," or something similar, e.g., 10802 Hellen Wanjiru Gift. Naturally, you can also specify what you would like your sponsored child to buy with the money. If you have a specific purpose in mind, such as a piece of clothing, a school bag, etc., please discuss this with Barbara Weiss beforehand. Simply use the association's email address (info@kenya-aids-waisen.de). Can I send my sponsored child a package? You can, of course, send your sponsored child a package. Please note that postage and additional taxes in Kenya are very high and often exceed the value of the package's contents. Furthermore, collecting the package from the post office in Kenya and transporting it to the child involves additional costs and considerable effort. For this reason, we sometimes have to charge extra. If you still wish to send a package, please contact Barbara Weiss beforehand. Simply use the association's email address (info@kenya-aids-waisen.de). Can I visit my sponsored child in Kenya? You are welcome to visit your sponsored child in Kenya at any time. We are happy to facilitate contact. However, we have had to address the issue of poverty tourism after receiving repeated inquiries from non-sponsors asking if they could visit our children. Of course, we don't want to accuse anyone of seeking to revel in the misery of others, but unfortunately, this does happen from time to time. So, how can we protect the privacy of our children and the local people? We have decided that we want to distance ourselves from any suspicion of tolerating or even promoting poverty tourism. We do not organize slum safaris! Therefore, we do not share names and addresses with third parties. Sponsors can only visit their own sponsored child. Why doesn't my child have a date of birth? In Kenya, birthdays are not as important as they are here; many don't even know their date of birth. Birthdays are rarely celebrated; instead, it's the name day for baptized children. Nevertheless, the children are of course happy to receive a birthday present! Why does my child's name have changed? It happens from time to time that sponsored children suddenly have different names, even on their school reports, and this naturally often leads to puzzled inquiries. Barbara Weiss explained these name changes, which are incomprehensible to us, using her own name as an example: 'This is somehow normal in Kenya. My name when I started school was Nyambura Maina.' In the middle of elementary school, my name was Beatrice Nyambura Maina, at the beginning of high school Beatrice Nyambura, at the end of high school Barbara Nyambura, and in Germany Barbara Beatrice Weiss née Nyambura. But there's no need to worry, our social workers on site are in constant contact with the children and their schools and teachers, so there can be no confusion. Can a school class or another group, such as a sports club, also take on a sponsorship? Yes, a class or other group can also sponsor one or more children in need. There are several ways to do this. For example, each group/class member could contribute one euro to a fund each month. Another option is to organize a sporting event such as a sponsored run, a soccer game with admission, or a bazaar for used or handmade items. The proceeds would then also go into a fund, from which the sponsorship would be financed. A separate account does not need to be set up for this. A teacher or a parent handles the transfers and receives the collected money in return. Then we need a contact person in the group who can also take care of collecting and forwarding the donation. This could be the person making the transfer, but also another selected group member. We would then send this person information about the sponsored child and the donation receipt.

Section 1 Name, Registered Office and Fiscal Year The association bears the name “Kenya AIDS Orphans Aid e.V.” – Education for Children in Kenya. Its registered office is in Cologne and it is registered in the Register of Associations at the Cologne Local Court. The association's fiscal year is the calendar year. Section 2 Purpose of the Association The association pursues exclusively and directly charitable purposes within the meaning of the section “Tax-privileged purposes” of the German Fiscal Code. The purpose of the association is the promotion of youth welfare and development cooperation in the form of school projects for street children, AIDS orphans, and impoverished families with many children in Kenya. The association's purpose is realized in particular through the provision of food, clothing, school and teaching materials, the provision of premises for teaching, the organization of teachers, the establishment of accommodation, and the guarantee of basic medical care. The association's purpose is financed by membership fees, the collection of donations, and public funding. Section 3 Non-profit status and use of funds The association is a non-profit organization; it does not primarily pursue its own economic interests. The association's funds may only be used for the purposes stipulated in the articles of association. Members, in their capacity as members, do not receive any payments from the association's funds. No person may be favored by expenditures unrelated to the association's purpose or by disproportionately high compensation. Members of the association's governing bodies all serve on a voluntary basis. § 4 Membership The association consists of ordinary and supporting members. Ordinary members can only be natural persons of legal age who wish to actively support the aims and principles of the association. Admission to the association is granted upon written application and approval by the board. Membership begins on the first day of the month following the month in which the board's decision was made. Supporting members can be natural or legal persons who primarily support the association's purpose through the payment of an annual contribution. Admission is granted upon written declaration of membership and becomes effective upon written confirmation from the association. The board may reject supporting members and terminate their membership. Members present are entitled to one vote. Sponsors are individuals who wish to support a specific child through regular donations. As such, they are not automatically members of the association but may be members concurrently. They have the right to participate in discussions at the general meeting. The amount and due date of membership fees are determined by the ordinary general meeting. Minutes of the general meeting are recorded. Ordinary membership ends upon the death of the member, by voluntary resignation, or by expulsion from the association. Voluntary resignation is effected by written declaration to a member of the board. It is only permissible at the end of a calendar year, subject to a notice period of three months. A member may be expelled from the association by unanimous decision of the board if they have grossly violated the interests of the association. The general meeting must be informed of the member's expulsion. The aforementioned also applies mutatis mutandis to supporting members. § 5 Bodies of the Association The bodies of the association are the general meeting and the board. § 6 Board and General Meeting The board consists of a maximum of five members: the chairperson, the vice-chairperson, the treasurer, and up to two additional members with various responsibilities. Board decisions are made by simple majority, and written minutes are kept. The board remains in office until a new board is elected. The board manages the day-to-day affairs of the association. The chairperson, the vice-chairperson, and the treasurer are the legal representatives of the association in accordance with § 26 of the German Civil Code (BGB). Each of them has sole power of representation. If a legal representative resigns, the remaining board members must convene an extraordinary general meeting within six weeks. If another board member resigns, the position may remain vacant. The board is responsible for all matters of the association, unless they are legally assigned to the general meeting. Its duties include, among others: deciding on the admission and expulsion of members; convening the general meeting, setting the agenda, and implementing the resolutions of the general meeting; approving the annual budget and establishing guidelines for the use of donations; preparing an annual report; and appointing an independent auditor. The board has a quorum when at least three of its members are present. Resolutions may also be passed by telephone or email, provided they are recorded in the usual manner. The board must send written invitations to the general meeting at least once a year, giving three weeks' notice. The General Meeting is exclusively responsible for the following matters: receiving the Executive Board's annual report; setting the amount and due date of membership fees; electing and removing members of the Executive Board; and deciding on amendments to the Articles of Association and the dissolution of the association. Every General Meeting convened in accordance with the Articles of Association constitutes a quorum, regardless of the number of attendees. Decisions and elections are made by a simple majority vote; in the event of a tie, the motion or proposal is rejected. Amendments to the Articles of Association require a three-quarters majority of the members present. Resolutions of the General Meeting are recorded in writing and signed by at least one member of the Executive Board. Section 7 Dissolution of the Association / Loss of Tax-Exempt Status: Upon dissolution or winding up of the association, or upon loss of its tax-exempt status, the association's assets shall be transferred to a legal entity under public law or another tax-exempt organization for use in promoting youth welfare and development cooperation.

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