Proximity, trust and partnership at eye level is what defines us
Who we are
Four decades in the service of people
The Rhein-Donau-Stiftung e.V. (RDS) was founded in Munich in 1977 as a private initiative to provide education for disadvantaged people in Germany and abroad. Today, the RDS accompanies more than 14 projects in various developing countries at its Cologne location with a dedicated team.
Focused on education
In the following years and especially from 1989, when the cooperation with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union started, RDS focused on educational projects to fight poverty in Central and South America, Africa and Southeast Asia.
Over 65,000 beneficiaries
The principle of helping people to help themselves and trusting cooperation with local partners continue to characterize our work. To date, we have been able to support around 65,000 people in more than 80 projects in over 20 different countries.
Founded in Munich
Rhein-Donau-Stiftung e.V. (RDS) was founded in Munich in 1973 as a private initiative to promote education in Germany and abroad.
Focused on education
In the years to come, and especially from 1986 onwards, when cooperation with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union began, the work of the association focused on the promotion of educational projects to combat poverty in developing countries.
35 years shaping our work
After 35 years and more than 75 successful projects worldwide, the principle of helping people to help themselves and the trusting cooperation with local partners continue to shape our work. Up until today we have realized X number of projects in Y different countries in the world.
Our vision
At Rhein-Donau-Stiftung e.V. we work for a world in which parents work with dignity, young people have a future and children can simply be children.
Becoming an agent of own
development through education.
Our projects focus on schooling for children, technical, medical and agricultural vocational training – especially for women – and the promotion of small-scale entrepreneurship as a way out of poverty.
Empowering women and girls
to change the world.
We believe that all women and girls should have access to quality education so that they can thrive and positively impact their families and communities.
How we work
Hand in hand with local people
An important principle of our work is that the projects start with the people who live locally. They know the conditions best and therefore know how social progress can succeed.
Long-term Cooperation
That is why we focus on long-term cooperation with our partner organizations, characterized by mutual trust.
As an equal project partner
Together with them, we develop the projects, ensure their financing and support them in their implementation.
Our Partners
How we finance our work
Your donation is multiplied by four!
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with which we cooperate in the majority of our projects, finances 75% of the project costs. This means that four times your donation arrives on site.
Our Team
Joaquín García
CEO
Lena Sa Couto
Project Management
Sarah Kaminski
Project Management
Ulrich Schütz
Accounting
Donation management
Our Board of Directors
RA Norbert Geis
(Aschaffenburg)
Public relations, fundraising
Dr. Hans Thomas
(Munich/Cologne)
Secretary General
Dr. Michael Winkler
(Munich)
Board Member
Dr. Werner Schmidt
(Munich)
Board Member
Dr. Alexander Hanke
(Basel)
Board Member
Ulrich Schütz
(Münster)
Board Member
Statutes and Documents
Work With Us
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