Founded 2002 Location Vienna, Austria | Founder Erfried Malle | |
Type Development organisation; non-profit Focus Poverty reduction through educational, medical, income-generating and awareness-raising programmes Area served Ethiopia, Bangladesch, India, Myanmar | ||
SONNE-International (Support Organisation for Non-Formal Needed Education) is a development organisation that initiates and supports educational programmes as well as health care and rural development projects. The main focus is on education and training for disadvantaged children and adolescents. The organisation was founded in 2002 by Austrian doctor Dr. Susanne Prügger and the current chairman, Erfried Malle. In 2011 Mr. Malle was elected "Austrian of the year" in recognition of his humanitarian engagement in the framework of the ORF press gala Austria '11. Since 2006 SONNE-International has regularly been awarded the Austrian Seal of Approval for Charitable Organisations, since 2009 donations made to the organisation are tax-deductible. Currently (2015) SONNE-International operates or supports 68 schools and four student hostels or day care centres where approximately 7,000 students receive an education. Altogether, approximately 35,000 people benefit from the SONNE projects each year.
Contents
History
In 2002 Erfried Malle and Dr. Susanne Prügger put their vision of helping destitute people in the slums of Bangladesh into practice by founding the development organisation SONNE-International in Vienna. Since the very beginning, the main objective has been to promote sustainable and self-contained development in close co-operation with the local population. The first project was the setting up of a health care centre in a slum in Dhaka. In 2003 a job training centre for adolescents was opened in Dhaka and another year later 10 village schools in remote areas of Bangladesh were built. In the following years the organisation extended its activities to Ethiopia, Myanmar and India.The organisation has been registered as an international NGO in Bangladesh (under the name of "SONNE-International Bangladesh") since 2009 and as a local NGO (Non Governmental Organisation) in Myanmar (under the name of "SONNE Social Organisation") since 2015.
Strategy and methods
SONNE-International's integral approach is intended to give as many disadvantaged persons as possible the chance to lead self-determined lives, mainly through education and training. The principal objective is to set up and/or strengthen local structures in the long term. All projects are planned and conducted in close co-operation with local partners in the respective project countries to generate long-lasting structures and thus sustainable improvements of people's living conditions.
Programmatic core areas
Literacy and education: literacy and access to education for all children, adult education, sponsorship for school children Training / skills / creation of income: skills training, computer training, basic economics / selling / book keeping, establishment of cooperatives, microcredits Improvement of the living conditions: health projects, water supply / sanitation, basic services, disaster relief Awareness: advancement of women and promotion of democracy, hygiene and health awareness, educational counselling, fight against female genital mutilation (FGM)
Bangladesh
Since SONNE's foundation in the year 2002, Bangladesh has been one of the organisation's focus countries. SONNE-International Bangladesh is registered as an international NGO. Its headquarters are in the capital Dhaka and it has more than 80 local employees. SONNE-International operates 19 small village schools in remote locations to give these children access to education. Since 2009 up to 30 children and adolescents have been accommodated in a student hostel in Alikadam (CHT) where they have the possibility to continue their education. In 2015 two secondary schools (one in each of the project areas) were opened. Since 2014 all students have been included in a health care programme. At both locations skills training centres offer marginalised adolescents (particularly girls) the possibility to acquire professional qualifications in tailoring, weaving and computer skills.
India
In 1999 Austrian doctor Fridolin Stögermayer initiated a school project in Bihar State in co-operation with the local organisation 'Buddha Educational Foundation Society'. In 2012 the project was officially handed over to SONNE-International. Since then it has been considerably extended.It comprises three schools at which approximately 270 students are currently being educated. Attending the schools is free of charge, uniforms and books are provided. The girls and boys are between 5 and 14 years of age and come from very poor families of the lowest Indian caste – the Dalits or untouchables. Without this project, most of these children would have no access to education. Another means to motivate and positively influence the children are sports, in particular the (hugely popular) self-defence courses for girls, which are of particular importance in a society where sexual harassment and rape are common.
Finances/funding
SONNE-International is an independent organisation that is financed by co-operations with private corporations and firms, foundations, public sponsors, governmental organisations and bodies, sponsorship schemes, membership fees and private donations. Donations made to SONNE-International are tax-deductible in Austria and Germany (since 2009).
NGO of the year 2005
In 2005 SONNE-International came third in the election of "NGO of the year 2005" organised by Glocalist.
Austrian Seal of Approval for Charities
Since 2006 SONNE-International has regularly been awarded the "Österreichisches Spendengütesiegel".
Woman Award 2010
In 2010 Dr. Susanne Prügger, co-founder of the organisation, was awarded the "Woman Award" in the category "social engagement" by the Austrian magazine "WOMAN” Austrian of the Year 2011. Erfried Malle, chairman of SONNE-International, was elected "Austrian of the Year" for his humanitarian engagement in the framework of the ORF press gala Austria '11.