Stiftungsallianz für Afrika (SAfA)
Partnerships as a key element of HRNS
At HRNS we believe that cooperation is key to achieve faster and better results in development cooperation. That’s why partnerships are a key element to the work HRNS. With TeamUp Uganda – a partnership with Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung, Siemens Stiftung and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) – HRNS started a first program in which partners from different sectors work together. In TeamUp Uganda the expertise’s in agriculture, water and health were combined in one joint project.
Extending efficient and effective partnerships
Building upon the positive learnings from TeamUp, HRNS joined the Stiftungsallianz für Afrika (SAfA). SAfA is an initiative founded by the four foundations Max und Ingeburg Herz Stiftung, Kühne-Stiftung, Rossmann Stiftung and Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung with the aim of effectively supporting development processes in Africa through stronger coordination and cooperation. All founding members of SAfA implement their foundation goals in an operational and/or sponsoring capacity, but with different focuses, in accordance with the respective foundation's purpose:
Max und Ingeburg Herz Stiftung: Science and research; education, youth welfare, assistance to the elderly, charity.
Kühne-Stiftung: education and training, science and research in the fields of transport science and logistics; support for other sciences, humanitarian, charitable and cultural projects.
Rossmann Stiftung: Population policy through the promotion of voluntary family planning and sexual education, education promotion and environmental protection - for a self-determined life in harmony with the environment.
Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung: Development cooperation, nature conservation and environmental protection, youth welfare and education incl. health, improvement of the social situation of people in developing countries, especially producers of tropical agricultural commodities.
First project in Ethiopia
With BMZ as partner, SAfA is realising its first project in Ethiopia. Implementing partners on the ground are HRNS, DSW and EMF.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, economic pressure and poverty, together with strong population growth and advancing climate change, as well as the still weak education systems, are major drivers of migration, especially among young people.
Ethiopia has 108 million inhabitants, 60% of the population is younger than 25 and population growth remains very high at 2.6%.The poverty rate has been halved since 2000. Nevertheless, the per capita income is only 650 euros.The young population has hardly any economically attractive future prospects and there is a lack of suitable training opportunities. Young women in particular suffer from this and have significantly fewer opportunities and opportunities for their own development.
The importance of agriculture
Agriculture remains the most important sector. However, smallholder families only achieve low productivity rates. Climate change creates additional challenges and risks. Deficits in logistics, transport and value chains hinder economic development. Ethiopia spends only 25 euros per capita per year on health. Access to health services, especially sexual reproductive health and family planning, is very limited and the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases is at a high level.
The integrated project approach of SAfA helps to improve the livelihood prospects of a total of 70,000 young women and men aged 15 to 29 in rural areas of Amhara and Oromia as well as in the greater Addis Ababa area. It is about professionalization and vocational training in agriculture and logistics as well as medical care, sexual and reproductive health and modern family planning. An independent impact measurement and scientific monitoring will support the joint learning of all project partners. The project duration is four years.