Today we’re presenting a conversation with Laurin Waldmann, founder and chairperson of Kolumbien direkt e.V., a non-profit organization based in Munich that supports educational projects in Colombia. The initiative focuses on helping children from low-income families by giving them access to quality education in a safe environment through sponsorships and donations.
Question 1: What is the story of your organization?
Answer: The idea was inspired by my involvement with the “Colegio Ekklesía” school in Cali, Colombia, which I got to know during my voluntary service. At the time, I worked there for a year as a volunteer—together with other future members of our organization—as part of a program supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. After returning to Germany, we wanted to continue supporting the school. Together with a team of ten founding members, we launched the organization in early 2017.
Question 2: What is the goal of your work?
Answer: Our goal is to give children from socially disadvantaged families in Colombia access to education and, through that, create opportunities for self-empowerment. At present, we support three educational institutions through our organization, including two schools in Cali—one of which is specifically for children with intellectual disabilities—as well as an inclusive project that offers free music and singing lessons to children in rural areas.
Question 3: How are the donations used?
Answer: Donations are used to support various school-related projects and especially to help children in great need—for example, by covering school materials, equipment, tuition fees, or additional educational programs. We are also currently paying the salaries of four teachers. Our goal is to give the children a solid foundation for their future lives so they can escape the cycle of poverty.
Question 4: What sets you apart from other aid organizations?
Answer: From the beginning, it was important to us that the majority of donations and sponsorship contributions go directly to the schools and children. We don’t have any personnel costs because all our team members work on a voluntary basis and contribute their professional expertise free of charge. This way, we ensure that all donations reach Colombia directly and are not used for administrative costs.
Additionally, we maintain close contact with the schools on the ground and are personally familiar with the local situation. The local presence of several of our organization’s volunteers enables close cooperation with the educational institutions. This guarantees that the financial support is targeted and effective.
We also place great value on transparency and regularly inform our donors about which projects in the schools are funded through their donations.
Question 5: How can interested readers get in touch with you?
Answer: Our website (https://www.kolumbien-direkt.de/) contains a lot of relevant information about our organization and the projects we support. People can choose to sponsor a child with a regular contribution of €40 per month or make a one-time donation. Of course, your readers are also welcome to contact me personally at laurin@kolumbien-direkt.de. I’d be happy to talk more about our work in a direct conversation.
Thank you for the interview.