Mission statement

Our understanding

Children of Lesotho e.V. sees the development volunteer service, as part of its activities in Germany and Lesotho, as a central pillar of its commitment to social justice and global solidarity. Volunteers actively support our partner organisations in Lesotho and help to strengthen civil society. The service creates space for personal encounters, learning from each other and working together for a fairer world.

Aims of the volunteer service

The volunteer service pursues the following core aims:

Promoting intercultural competence and global responsibility
Strengthening the civic engagement of young people
Supporting our partners in Lesotho through practical work
Reflecting on global interconnections and one’s own options for action
Building long-term partnerships on an equal footing

Intended impact on volunteers

We want our volunteers to

broaden their personal and social skills,
reflect on global inequalities and question their own role in them,
develop an awareness of sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
act as multipliers for engagement in development policy,
show respect and appreciation for other cultures and ways of life.

Global learning and sustainable development in line with the SDGs

Our association promotes global learning as a central educational dimension of the volunteer service. We are guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and see sustainable development as a task for society as a whole. Education for sustainable development is an integral part of preparing, accompanying and debriefing our volunteers.

“weltwärts” as a development learning service

As a recognised weltwärts sending organisation, we do not see weltwärts as development aid but as a learning service based on mutual exchange, partnership and solidarity. The focus is on what volunteers learn – through practical work, reflection and life in the host country.

Respect for diversity

We stand for respect, tolerance and equality. For us, diversity is not an obstacle but an enrichment. We actively promote the recognition of different realities of life, world views, cultural backgrounds, gender identities and sexual orientations – in the Global South as well as in the North. The volunteer service is open to everyone who shares our values.