Whose hero are you? Kinder-Helden — Becoming a “hero for children” through 1:1 mentoring

The problem: There is a saying:

The first seven years of your life shape you to the person you are for the rest of your life.

Yet, not all of us have the same starting point in life and as a child you can’t just simply change the environment you are in. In Germany, state support rarely reaches those in need. Research shows the educational system shows significant disadvantages for children from immigrant families.

As a child of migrants, I empathized very strongly with the children, and I wanted to act.

The social innovation: While I was in the middle of my bachelor’s degree in Stuttgart, I came across Kinder-Helden gGmbH: A German non-profit organization providing 1:1 mentoring to help underprivileged children by matching them with “big sisters and brothers”.

Social innovation and impact: The initiative acknowledges that children need people they trust, beyond the family circle. An important human-centered component, often ignored by political initiatives. While children learn from their mentors, mentors grow too. Mentoring Aishviini, a 10-year-old with Sri-Lankan parents was a lifechanging experience. Her family even invited me to celebrate the highest Hinduist festivity with them. Kinder-Helden is therefore bringing together cultures and people who maybe would have never met.

The risk: As mentioned in the beginning of this article, people who are close to children have a huge impact on them. People faking their way through the organization’s screening, could have a detrimental impact on the child they get close access to. The organization has established different systems and background checks to prevent this from happening and there are no cases known of any abuse of Kinder-Helden. Only life-lasting memories and stories.