Sinsheim/Mühlen. During the recent meeting, Stefan Wagner from Sports For Future and Kai Zimmermann from the Zenaga Foundation reviewed their first year of collaboration. Stefan Wagner from Sports For Future expressed satisfaction with the initial successes of the projects. "We are pleased that, together with the Zenaga Foundation and the donations from our supporters, we have been able to plant 23,500 trees and cultivate 24,000 seedlings in tree nurseries since the start of the collaboration. We are excited to see what projects we will implement together in the future. It's gratifying to see that through the implementation of projects on-site, we can create added value, especially in the social sector for the local population and, most importantly, in schools."

During the exchange, additional positive figures about the project locations in Senegal, Nigeria, and the DR Congo were announced. A total of 49,000 students and teachers were involved in the implementation of the projects, reaching 138,000 people in the project area. In this context, 36,000 educational and informational materials were distributed, and 500 solar systems and solar lamps were distributed and installed. In addition to the current status of the projects, the meeting also discussed the challenges in project implementation and the resulting learning experiences for future projects. "It is a testament to the quality of the Zenaga Foundation and the implementing partners in the project countries that activities were implemented even during the COVID-19 pandemic, surpassing internal project goals," explains Kai Zimmermann.

Due to the growing awareness of Sports For Future, two additional schools in Nigeria were included in the implementation, made possible by the commitment of SV Waldhof Mannheim 07 and the Georg-Kerschensteiner-Schule in Holdorf. The project initiated by badminton players Miranda Wilson and Kai Schäfer, "BadmintONEarth," in the city of Bankana (DR Congo) is also progressing well. There is a significant need in all areas of sustainable living (e.g., education and health).

The two non-profit organizations plan to continue and ideally expand their collaboration in 2022. The combination of climate protection, education, and sports, along with individual possibilities such as integrating social aspects, makes the projects particularly effective. Anyone, whether an individual, company, athlete, club, or association, can support the implementation of projects with a donation or sponsorship, finance a sub-project, or even initiate their "own" project. More information can be found on the websites www.sports4trees.com or  www.zenaga.de.