The Royals in Berlin
British royal couple Prince William and Duchess Kate are to visit a project for street children in Berlin’s Marzahn district.
Herr Baumann, you are director of the non-profit association Straßenkinder e.V. What does the visit by Prince William and Duchess Kate mean to you?
It’s a huge honour for us that the couple have chosen our social project, and we’re immensely happy to be so fortunate. The children are of course excited and tension is growing. As an association, we rely almost 100 percent on donations. We hope that the day will help make our work better known. We will of course also highlight the problematic fact that there are street children even in a country like Germany, and not only do they exist, but there are a whole lot of them.
Why do children live on the street in Germany?
A recent survey by the German Youth Institute (DJI) states that more than 6,500 children aged between 14 and 18 years live on the street in Germany. Among 14-to-26-year-olds there are some 39,000 young people who are homeless. In Germany, the reasons for this are not like those in Africa, Asia or Latin America – for example, the children were beaten at home or subject to sexual abuse. It may also be the case that the relationship between the child and his or her parents is so bad that the child thinks it is still better to live on the street than under the same roof as the parents. There are many reasons – sometimes children are bullied at school. At some point they simply do not want to continue leading such a life, and end up on the street.
What role will the children who are supported by your organization play during the royal visit?
We will welcome Prince William and Duchess Kate and show them our work, the three areas we are active in, namely work with street children, preventative work, and the integration of child refugees. The kids will then be able to chat with William and Kate. Many of the children we have taken in from the street and whom we have been able to help have really dramatic biographies. The royals will also be able to chat with children for whom we have found apprenticeships and whom we have encouraged to help them get their lives on the right track. Should the couple bring their own two children along, then our children will no doubt welcome them. I’m sure it will be interesting and fun.
Eckhard Baumann is Managing Director of Straßenkinder e.V. in Berlin’s Marzahn-Hellersdorf district.