The Shared Dream
20 years ago, I met and fell in love with my husband Hardy. From the beginning, we shared a heartfelt desire: to one day provide development aid in Africa.
Even as a teenager, it was clear to me that Africa would always have a place in my heart. At 16, I participated in a church youth trip to Kenya. There, I met children in slums, townships, and orphanages. These experiences profoundly shaped me and ignited my dream of becoming a pediatric nurse and one day working in Africa.
Hardy also had a formative experience early on. At 19, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. It was a shock that shook his life and led him to grapple with life's big questions at a young age. He developed a deep gratitude for his childhood, his family, and life itself. This fueled his desire to one day provide similar opportunities and hope to children in Africa.
The First Steps in Africa
Shortly after our wedding, when we were 21, we took our first big step in this direction. Together, we spent six months in South Africa. We supported an interdenominational organization, traveled across the country, and helped with many small projects for children in need. This time shaped us in many ways and strengthened our desire to remain active. It was then that we first heard the words that we would be a bridge between Africa and Germany.
Years Full of Challenges
Back in Germany, life gave us the gift of starting a family. We dedicated ourselves to raising three children while building a livelihood, always with the goal of one day creating something meaningful for Africa. But the path was not easy. We went through a failed start-up attempt, financial struggles, moving from Cologne to Hamburg, the Covid crisis, job crisis and more.
All of this led us to a point where we had to re-evaluate what we wanted from our lives. The answer was: Back to the roots. All the way back to the beginning. To our love and to our vision from back then.
The New Beginning in Piet Retief
We allowed ourselves to dream again, to search for meaning, and to let go of the old. Love it. Leave it. Or change it. We wanted to embrace change and embark on a new start. So, in October 2023, within eight weeks, we flew with our family for three months to Piet Retief in South Africa.
There, we lived in an ancient house, the children attended a local school in uniforms, we bought a car, and immersed ourselves in local life. Piet Retief is a small town on the border with Eswatini, far from tourist hotspots. We met a German-speaking community that was warm, helpful, and full of energy. Above all, we experienced the passion of the people who tirelessly work for the children of the region. Voluntarily or professionally, all with the same goal: to give the youngest a better life.
We saw there how little it takes to make a big difference. Ten euros, which for us is the price of a coffee and cake, can buy a child a complete school uniform and thus provide access to education.
We actually wanted to stay for six months, but after three months, we had to return. Our visa could not be extended, and so our time ended earlier than planned. The farewell was difficult because we felt we had just arrived. But one thing we knew on the flight home: This was just the beginning. We would come back. With the vision of pooling local resources and giving children strong roots so that they have a real chance for a better future.
The Birth of ROOTS & BRIDGES
Back in Germany, something completely unexpected happened. Shortly after, a good friend whom we had known for 20 years approached us. After his successful entrepreneurship, he wanted to support children in Africa. He had the means and the trust to build this project with us. Thus began a new journey.
That was the moment ROOTS & BRIDGES was born.
Our Work Today
Today, with ROOTS & BRIDGES, we pool resources, local initiatives, and the energy of the people on the ground to empower children and enable a future. We focus on four key areas.
Safe Parks provide children with a protected place. There, they receive a warm meal daily, can play, are looked after, and experience community. Playgrounds, sanitary facilities, and learning gardens ensure that they are not only safe but also learn to grow their own fruits and vegetables from an early age.
Female Empowerment is another core area. With Door of Hope, we offer girls and young women a confidential point of contact. Those with unplanned pregnancies find counseling, support, and encouragement here. The goal is for mother and child to develop a hopeful perspective together.
Equally important is access to "Menstrual Care". With partners like Caring4Girls, we ensure that girls receive hygiene products and no longer miss school. Their education should not be interrupted due to their menstruation.
With "Simply Rooted," we promote training and school gardens where children and young people learn how to cultivate vegetables sustainably, take responsibility, and become self-sufficient. This strengthens food security and imparts important life skills.
Furthermore, we support educational and cultural programs that foster creativity, self-confidence, and new perspectives.
Our Role in Germany
And here in Germany, we show how much can be achieved with small means. Every euro goes directly into the projects because all administrative costs are privately donated. This means 100 percent impact for your donations.
ROOTS & BRIDGES is more than an organization for me. It is the fulfillment of a dream that began 20 years ago. It is proof that crises can become opportunities. And it is my invitation to you: Be part of this movement. Become a bridge builder. Let roots grow with us.
Grow Roots. Build Bridges. Create Impact.
Yours,
Katha
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