Over the past two weeks, more than 200 representatives of 147 partner organizations of “Stiftung RTL – Wir helfen Kindern e.V.” came together on three days at the RTL Deutschland headquarters in Cologne for in-depth discussions, moving insights into their children’s aid projects, and the personal presentation of donation checks. In total, “Stiftung RTL – Wir helfen Kindern” allocated more than €23 million from the previous year’s proceeds to 195 projects.
Emotional look behind the scenes of the funded projects
The meetings focused on the people who, every day, help children and young people where they need urgent help: at family centers, children’s homes, hospitals, crisis regions, schools, counseling centers, and many other projects across Germany and around the world. They told stories of children who find the courage to carry on after heavy blows; of families, who find new hope; of small steps forward that mean the world to those affected; and of the moments when help is most urgently needed.
For the Stiftung RTL team, the meetings were therefore much more than a formal presentation of checks. They offered an emotional look behind the scenes of the funded projects: intimate, honest, and often very moving. At the same time, they provided a setting for exchange, networking, and new ideas. Many partner organizations seized the opportunity to get to know one another, learn from each other, and think ahead together.
“Huge source of motivation for all of us”
The personal presentation of the donation checks by Wolfram Kons, Deputy Chairman of “Stiftung RTL – Wir helfen Kindern e.V.”, was a special highlight. As in previous years, he took time for the guests, for conversations, photos, and to personally thank those who make the foundation’s support a reality – on site and every day. “These meetings with our partner organizations are probably the most enjoyable, but also most intensive workdays of the year for me and my team,” said Kons. “We get to hear firsthand what our help is achieving – and we also learn where children still need support urgently. This really gets under our skin. At the same time, it is a huge source of motivation for all of us – because behind every donation are people who, with heart, strength, and unbelievable dedication, ensure that the help really reaches the children.”
