Die Arche - Gottingen (Lower Saxony)

A few weeks ago, I visited one of the Arche summer camps. Meeting the children there moved me deeply. On my way home, many thoughts ran through my mind. I wondered how many of these kids were experiencing a holiday for the very first time. And then I remembered: as a child, I myself only ever went on one holiday.

The sister of my grandmother, who sadly passed away when I was still young, would sometimes give my brother and me tickets to the circus or the zoo. Before she died, she gave me a small piggybank that she had filled — 70 or 80 Marks. As a child who grew up with very little, I was incredibly proud of that. It felt like something that might one day open a small door for me.

Not long afterward, my single father told my brother and me that we would be going away for a weekend. We had never experienced anything like that. We drove to a campsite where my father spent his time fishing, leaving us alone for most of the day. We had a new tent, which felt exciting at first — but my father only returned late at night, and one night, he didn’t return at all. We waited for him, scared and unsure. When we finally came home after three days, I had a terrible sunburn from sitting by the road for hours, waiting for him. As soon as we were back, he threw the tent away. My piggy bank was empty. My father had used the many to buy the tent. It was our first and last holiday.

It was a memory of both fear and longing — longing for experiences, warmth, and care. And it left me with a deep understanding: no child should have to grow up feeling alone.

Years later, that understanding became the foundation for Die Arche. I wanted to create a place where children could find joy, hope, and someone who believes in them. Today, thousands of children have found a safe place in Die Arche — a place where laughter is encouraged, where meals are shared, where friendships grow, and where futures are shaped with love, patience, and trust.

Many of the children who come to us face difficult environments and challenges that no one their age should have to carry. Yet again and again, we see hope flourish. Many of our teenagers now finish school successfully — not because life suddenly became easy, but because someone walked alongside them and believed in their potential.

This year, we celebrate 30 years of Die Arche — 30 years of building trust, offering stability, and giving children more than just a safe space: giving them a future.

But our work is not finished. Times are becoming harder. Many families are under greater pressure, and more children need support, encouragement, and a place to belong. We continue to rely on volunteers, donors, partners, and friends like you.

Together, we can continue to stand strong for the next 30 years.

Your ongoing support and your belief in our work mean more than words can express. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Dear Friends and Supporters,

This is no ordinary year for us – 2025 marks a truly special milestone: “Die Arche” celebrates its 30^th anniversary.

For three decades now, we have been committed to fighting the effects of childhood poverty and giving children and families, what they need the most: encouragement, support, and a place where they feel seen, heard and valued. In that time, we have stood beside thousands of young people in their individual life situations – not just with words, but also with action.

And yet, this celebration is bittersweet. While we can look back to our achievements with pride, our pride is not without sorrow. Because the success of “Die Arche” is, in many ways, a reflection of our society´s ongoing failure. Every year in Germany, 60,000 young people leave school without a diploma. Thousands of children go to class hungry, live in overcrowded houses and grow up without a safe space to simply be a child. Their future prospects are dimmed before they even begin.

That is why the theme of our jubilee year is “Next Generation”. We want more than just to continue – it is time to take an even clearer stand to ensure that education does not become a luxury in this country, to shift the focus away from ourselves and towards those who need us most and to stop pushing families affected by poverty further to the margins of our society.

Our children deserve more than an underperforming education system. They deserve our full attention, our hearts, and above all, our support. “You saved my childhood”, a young men recently told me. “Thank you for believing in me”, an eight-year-old gird said. And everyday thousands of children leave one of our Arche centers and say goodbye in the arms of staff members who have once again reminded them: You are seen. You are valued. You are not alone.

For us, “Next Generation” also means continuing the fight: looking more closely, offering an even stronger support and promoting even more. But change does not happen on its own. Politicians must create better framework conditions for this. Children´s rights belong in the constitution, without infringing on parental rights. Funding must reach children directly, and a real improvement in equal opportunities must finally become reality.

These are the changes we demand — over and over again. Until they happen.
And while we advocate, we act. And for 30 years, we've shown what’s possible — thanks to you!

Your support, your trust, and your belief in our mission make this work possible.
“Die Arche” is 100% funded by donations.
And your contributions have proven, time and again, that together we can make a lasting impact.

Thank you for standing by our side.
Thank you for believing in the next generation.
Thank you for showing every single child:
You are seen. You are loved. You are not alone.

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