African Angel e.V.
Foundation
It was September 15th 2002 when Harriet Bruce-Annan dared to make the big step from dream to reality. She was then supported only by the required six persons. The non-profit Organisation and its statute were registered under no. 9230 in the Register of Membership Corporations Düsseldorf on the 26th of Mai 2003. Since that day the Organisation can add the ´e.V. ´(German abbr. for ´registered Organisation) to its name.
In August 2004 African Angel e.V. received the confirmation from Revenue Office Düsseldorf, that as a non-profit Organisation we are exempt from corporation profit and turnover tax. We therefore are authorized to issue Tax-reduction / Tax-exemption receipts to our donors.
African Angel is as an Organisation, officially registered under the Companies Code, 1963 (Act 179) in Ghana. To guarantee a regular accounting, we entrusted a professional Bookkeeper and a sworn-in Accountant to look after and to certify our books.
What is the purpose of African Angel e.V.?
Millions of children wordwide live in poverty and have therefore no chance for school or any chance of a good education. Instead many of them, even the youngest, have to do the hardest labour, prostitute their body and soul, become involved in crimes or are forced to work in factories as child-labour, and exploited to fight as child soldiers in the cruel wars of their individual countries.
We would like to help all these children, but we have to be realistic. Our hands are too weak and our means are too small. At the moment we can only try to make ´Harriets Dream´ come true for a number of children from Bukom/Accra. To enable them to enjoy the benefits of going to school to gain education and professional training under secure living conditions.
We will also try to do everything possible to open a door for them, to a life perspec-tive in their own country, Ghana. School education and qualified professional training are the keys to open the door for these girls and boys being born chanceless in this world, in their own country. Education and training is the key for them to move for-ward into a life of pride, dignity and self-confidence.
What does African Angel e.V. do?
The association offers to the parents of the children in Bukom (if they are not or-phants) accommodation in a home, which located in a secure and protected environ--ment, with regular meals, supply of school uniforms, as well as general other general clothing and medical care. Also included is a programme which will take care of Spiri-tual and Social needs. African Angel will endeavour to find the most appropriate schools and Kindergarten who will provide appropriate educational needs; and cover all necessary fees and expenses accrued.
The children are transported every day to and from the schools by bus. Two teachers supervise and assist them with their homework during the afternoon period. African Angel provides all the school materials requested for the enhancement of their edu-cation. Therefore we are also thankful for donation of goods received. We store the articles received in our Düsseldorf office, and at a convenient time packed in contai-ners and sent to Tema / Ghana using a low fees shipment service.
Except certain professional services (e.g. accounting, advertising material etc.) everybody in our office works voluntarily and unpaid for African Angel e.V. We can therefore assure you that most of the money is used for the purposes intended.
Who is African Angel e.V?
African Angel e.V. is a small Organisation. The Head of the Organisation is Harriet Bruce-Annan. She has a Deputy Assistant Jan Einicke who works in conjunction with her. Harriet was born on 12 December 1965 in Accra/Ghana. She lives in Düsseldorf/Germany since 1992, and has acquired German citizenship. Dif-erent from the children she cares for today, Harriet enjoyed a good school education and professional training.
Before she left Ghana in 1990 she was employed as computer programmer in a Ger-man construction company in Accra. When she came to Germany, she was unable to continue with her career in computer. She took a cleaning job instead, as at that time it was all that was available to her, not being able to speak the German language, which she has now learnt.
Besides her normal work as a cleaning woman in the Düsseldorf Messe, she tried to earn additional funds for the children in Bukom by doing night jobs in the famous Düsseldorf entertainment area `The Altstadt`. 50 Cents `Tips`, was given each time the customers use the facilities. Its those 50 Cents Tips (the small change given) that Harriet used to begin her `Harriet Dream` for the children of Bukom.
info@african-angel.de
At present we have two German Native Speakers working in the office, trying to cope with the day-to-day administration (German is the main language used). They are Steffi Del Maestro-Giehl and Peter Schrenk.
On the English side of the work within the Organisation, is Mona Grant, an English Native Speaker. This area is growing fast. She helps to facilitate the English interests, catering for the needs of the English speaking Members and Donors.
They work voluntarily and unpaid, try to do their best. Unfortunately they are unable to be in the office during regular office hour, as they have their own full time jobs to follow.
The members
As mentioned before, members are the financial back bone of all our doing. There membership fees provide the basis of our work. Until last year we had only 19 mem-bers. You can imagine what that meant in terms of regular income. Since we were able to make our project more visible in the public eye, the membership number and the basic income of the Organisation has risen significantly: We now have 180 mem-bers, and still receiving requests for membership applications.
Thank you, and please continue to give us your support!