A Personal Reflection
A Personal Reflection
It all began, as so often happens in life, with a flash of inspiration.
With the help of my friends, I was able to raise the 50,000 euros needed to establish a foundation in Bavaria. The government of the Upper Palatinate supported this project and made it possible through its patient guidance.
I’d like to take this opportunity today to express my sincere thanks for this hassle-free approach!
In 1992, I was ordained a priest in the Roman Catholic Church in Regensburg. My calling has taken me to various countries around the world. I have personally encountered much suffering: the despair of alcoholism in homeless shelters, the scourge of drugs among young people, and the failure of prison inmates.
In Romania, I visited street children; in Kenya, those dying of AIDS; in Iran, people with leprosy; in Pakistan, the oppressed; in Iraq, those torn apart by bombs; and in Texas, the prison camps for refugees. To this day, this suffering haunts me. Some nights I wake up with a start—haunted by those images—and I feel that I could be doing even more to help.
The money is therefore intended to benefit the education of those children who, unlike me, did not have this privilege. The foundation was created based on these thoughts. The name is derived from the Bible verse I chose for my ordination as a priest, from Psalm 18: “With my God I leap over walls.” On the 10th anniversary of my ordination in 2002, I was able to establish the foundation together with friends.
Pastor Martin Rupprecht
The bylaws state:
“The purpose of the ‘Supporting Youth—Transcending Boundaries’ Foundation is to give as many young people as possible the opportunity to receive an education, so that they can use their strength, their talents, their hope, their faith, and their love to help build a new global community. No young person should have to go hungry or be unable to attend school.”
The goal is both to meet external needs—such as food, clothing, housing, and work—and to foster internal needs—such as schooling and intellectual, spiritual, cultural, and social development. Young people from different cultures and religions should come together to help develop and strengthen friendly relations between peoples and religions, thereby contributing to the preservation of peace.”
In a nutshell: Support for schools and vocational training!
Facts and Figures
Facts and Figures
Our Areas of Focus
From 2002 to the present, we have been able to award scholarships or support school projects in the following countries: , Romania, Palestine, Turkey, Bosnia, Pakistan, India, Syria, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Uganda, Burundi, Congo, and Nigeria.
The joy of children motivates us every day. It drives us forward and keeps us constantly striving to provide a good education.
Enable children to attend school
Just one of our projects: A school visit in a poor neighborhood of Dar es Salaam