Jena, 08.04.2026 – The initiative “Aktion Kindern Urlaub schenken” is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. For two decades, the Diakonie project has provided disadvantaged children and young people with important holiday and educational opportunities.
- Initiative: Aktion Kindern Urlaub schenken (part of the donation alliance Hoffnungsengel)
- Milestone: 20 years (started in 2006)
- Current balance: 3,580 supported projects, approximately 64,200 participants
- Donation volume: Over 3.5 million euros
- Further information: www.hoffnungsengel.de/projekte/urlaub-schenken/
Recreation and Education for Disadvantaged Children
Since its launch in 2006, the campaign has steadily evolved. The goal is to offer young people from Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, and Thüringen new perspectives and provide them with recreation away from everyday life. Currently, the initiative finances around 280 projects annually, benefiting approximately 5,000 children.
The project is also strongly rooted in Jena: The Jena social pedagogue and donation council spokesperson Roland Merten has accompanied the campaign since its founding phase. He praised the long-standing commitment, whose primary goal is to enable children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds to experience carefree holidays, education, and valuable new experiences.
Background: Why Holiday Camps are So Important
For many families with low incomes, shared holidays or paid summer camps are financially unaffordable. Initiatives like “Aktion Kindern Urlaub schenken” step in right there: they prevent the social isolation of children during school holidays. Pedagogically supervised excursions and leisure activities strengthen children’s self-confidence, promote social skills within a group, and create positive memories that are essential for healthy personal development. The donation campaign is now coordinated under the umbrella of the donation alliance “Hoffnungsengel”.
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20 Jahre „Aktion Kindern Urlaub schenken“
Transparency Note: This article was automatically generated, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.