Dear Reader,
In 2025 we can look back on 15 years of the Umckaloabo Foundation. And in this context, the statement attributed to Desmond Tutu is more than appropriate: "There is only one way to eat an elephant: A bite at a time." A large project of any kind can only be accomplished step by step.
Even when the Umckaloabo Foundation was first established in 2010, we planned and implemented our first major initiative, the Scout Center in Mpumalanga, with the long-term perspective in mind. If you visit the Scout Center today, you will see a well-maintained facility which is home to dynamic Scout activity and has a positive impact throughout the entire Mpumalanga region. The education projects the Umckaloabo Foundation supports are designed to have a lasting effect and help many young adults and children find their way into a better future.
In addition, we stay involved in our projects and the work of our project partners well beyond the point at which construction or renovation are complete. And we show perseverance when there are unforeseen delays which affect the implementation of a project.
We owe it to our project partners to show this patience: they always keep their eyes on the long-term goals, and they bring experience and professionality to finding solutions to challenges large and small. We also owe this to the young people in southern Africa who often encounter difficult conditions as they pursue their paths with hard work and determination.
These young people deserve the opportunity to develop and bring to life their dreams for the future. Please stay committed to our work and the people in Africa. It is thanks to your help that we have achieved so much in 15 years. And for that, we are endlessly grateful. This report will tell you more.
Olaf Schwabe
Giving young people opportunities
Since it was first established in 2010, the Umckaloabo Foundation has supported educational projects for children and young people in southern Africa. Many grow up in difficult circumstances and do not have or cannot see any perspectives for their future. With the help of our partners in South Africa, Malawi and Zambia, we want to give these young adults and children access to solid and empowering schooling so they have greater opportunities.
Education is a life-long process. Nowadays we understand how important early-childhood development is, and we know that well-equipped schools with dedicated teachers make a difference in the lives of young people. And we also know that taking the step into entering the working world independently requires guidance. Last but not least, we know that an empowering education often takes place outside of these formal structures.
This is why the Umckaloabo Foundation supports these four pillars of education: early-childhood development, primary and secondary schools, vocational training, and non-formal learning with the Scouts. We see that our projects and our support are all bearing fruit thanks to our many years of good-faith work with our partners on site. Children can grow up in a safe and affirming environment; teenagers can complete school with excellent grades; and unemployed young people can find professional orientation and get a job. The Scouts are role models and convey values that make a good education and an independent future possible.
We create the foundation for a proper education. And a proper education creates perspectives for a brighter and self-determined future.