Yannik Rittmann and Michael Schweizer create the first initiAID website as part of a university project.
Christian Gartner becomes event manager
Mike Mwamba is hired by UCT as Lab Administrator and is the VCL’s first employee.
This first permanent job for a resident of the township is an important step towards sustainability and continuity.
Michael Schweizer is elected project manager of the VCL by initiAID and is responsible for the project coordination from Germany. Yannik Rittmann becomes Head of Communication and Marketing.
VCL cooperates with the Mentec Foundation in the Siyathuthuka program.
A 10-week advanced computer-based course is offered, which includes:
Microsoft Office, Life sikills, communication skills, job application, resume, interview.
Cooperation with Assitej: A basic computer course is given to a group of aspiring Art Facilitators.
Simone Nordmann travels to Cape Town.
There is a break-in at the VCL. 7 computers and 1 beamer are stolen. The Lab has to close for a week.
Many thanks to Career Junction who donated computers and projectors to the VCL.
The classes could be continued.
After the successful application at the Krombacher fundraiser by Tirza Meier-Oser initiAID receives the first 4-digit donation: 2500€.
initiAID organizes a big May 1st party in front of the Hornung family’s house in Unzhurst.
The first annual general meeting is held at the university in Pforzheim.
The new volunteers Michael Schweizer and Yannik Rittmann travel to Cape Town.
initiAID elects Sascha Hornung as Event Manager and Andreas Biesinger as Head of Communications and Marketing and Julian Hellebrand as his deputy.
Mike Mwamba, formerly a participant in courses at VCL, joins the VCL team as a volunteer.
First big event on the campus of Pforzheim University with mulled wine sales and a fundraiser for the soccer field .
The Pforzheimer Zeitung as well as the university press report. The event was a complete success. In addition to income for the soccer field, new members and interested parties were gained.
initiAID has arrived on campus.
Prof. Dr. Martin Erhard, Rector of HS Pforzheim, recognizes the non-profit association “initiAID” e.V. as a student initiative of Pforzheim University.
initiAID coordinates the sending of volunteers for the first time: Sebastian Buhlinger, Mateo Goschnik, Marco Falco and Donatella Ercuelo go to Cape Town.
First sales and fundraising event on the campus of Pforzheim University.
Support by the beverage producer Killerfish (Miguel Parcero).
Registration of the association “initiAID” e. V. at the district court of Pforzheim. Registration number VR2111.
Foundation of initiAID e.V. by Johannes Klarmann, Julian Oser, Christian Walz, Sebastian Buhlinger, Julian Hellebrand, Marvin Nestler and Nicole Meißner. Elected to the board were:
1st executive board: Johannes Klarmann
2nd board member: Julian Oser
Treasurer: Christian Walz
Opening of the new Butterfly Art Project therapy and after-school center in Vrygrond. The construction of the center was supported by Build Up Kids e.V. and the Mercedes Benz-Pro Cent Foundation.
The Butterfly Art Project, run by German therapist Angela Katschke, now has plenty of space for art, therapy and after-school care.
The Butterfly Art Project team takes over the build up kids Aftercare after the Blue Church is no longer available and continues the successful program, which offers children between 6 and 14 years an age-appropriate learning and play program. Here they also receive professional help to cope with trauma in their young yet already conflicted lives.
Official opening of the Vrygrond Community Lab (VCL)
Prof. Dr. Joachim Schuler together with Prof. Dr. Lisa Seymour, Head of Department of Information Systems at the University of Capetown, the volunteers and his family officially open the Vrygrond Community Lab.
First Basic and Advanced computer courses are offered. Collaboration with Fit For Life begins. All participants of the Fit For Life program attend a two-week computer course at the VCL.
The volunteers of the HS Pforzheim run the computer courses, develop them further and plan and develop new courses.
Johannes Klarmann, Julian Oser Christian Walz and Nicole Meißner are the next generation of volunteers in Cape Town. Sinah Asong extends her stay and completes the team.
The first 20 computers for the Vrygrond Community Lab are provided by the University of Cape Town.
Johannes Klarmann, Julian Oser, Christian Walz create a concept for the foundation of a student initiative at Pforzheim University to support the VCL. The logo and the brand “initiAID” are created by Julian Hellebrand.
The Vrygrond Community Labs (VCL) gets a space at the Vrygrond Community Center. New volunteers Sinah Asong, Linda Wernecke, Stefan Ellinger and Ralph Orendi are on site in Cape Town helping to develop the Lab. They also look after children at the Build up Kids after-school center.
Build up Kids opens an after-school care center for school children aged 6 to 15 in the “Blue Church”.
The first 4 volunteers (Madeleine Nüssle, Jan Fölsing, Philipp Enderes and Hannes Meiser) from Pforzheim University work on site with children and experience the needs of the people as well as the prevailing conditions in the township.
The next steps are mapped out on the ground in Cape Town. Two projects are taking shape:
– the care of school children after school (build up kids) becomes Sylke Schuler’s project
– the Vrygrond Community Lab (VCL) for education and training will be initiated by Pforzheim University (Prof. Dr. Joachim Schuler, Prof. Dr. Fritz Gairing) and the University of Cape Town (Kosheek Sewchuan) as a cooperation project.
“Build up Kids Africa” e.V. is founded by Sylke Schuler in Germany together with Wolfgang Beck, Philipp Schaaf, Maisun Meiforth, Heike Dießelberg and Tina Schirbel.
Prof. Dr. Joachim Schuler is invited to spend a research semester at the University of Cape Town (UCT) with his family. First contacts to the township of Vrygrond are established and various project ideas are forged.