About us
Ubuntu for Africa has been around since 2008. Sylke Funk initially founded the association as a volunteer organization. Her impression at the time: So much hardship and a need for action. But how to help without money? That is why Sylke started recruiting volunteers to look after the children at the township school. Working at the school on her own was simply not possible anymore. She is a social worker and family therapist and works herself voluntarily every day in a township school with abused, neglected and behavior-sensitive children, whose parents try to care for their families or have given up doing so under the most difficult conditions. Any help was welcome.
Based on this experience, Sylke founded several organizations together with locals. The German association wir-helfen Suedafrika.de was founded in 2015 as a support structure for the South African organizations. The volunteer organization and the German Association are now united under the name UBUNTU for Africa. Former volunteers are on the board of the association together with Sylke Funk. We all know what we are talking about when we fight for better living and learning conditions for our children, young people and families.
First chair
Pauline Schmiel, 24 years old from Wiesbaden, is currently studying applied social sciences in the first semester. From October 2018 to September 2019 she worked as a volunteer at Ubuntu for Africa in Hout Bay and, together with Sylke and other volunteers, carried out the projects at primary and high school among others.
Before completing her voluntary service, she trained as an insurance and finance clerk, but is now extremely happy to have taken a slightly different path. She is looking forward to working together and is very grateful to continue to support Ubuntu and to be part of it!
Email: pauline@ubuntuforafrica.com
Phone: 0049 15751750619
Second chair
Birgitta Latz, born in Hamburg, is a bookseller, educator and Anglist. After completing her studies, she completed her Weltwärts volunteer service at Ubuntu from September 2015 to December 2016.
She mainly worked at Silikamva High School and there, among other things, managed the Girls Groups and Remedial.
She has been living in Hamburg again since 2017, where she works in outpatient family help. Ubuntu and IY still feel very connected.
Email: birgitta@ubuntuforafrica.com
Third chair
Sylke Funk has been working as a social worker and family therapist for more than 40 years. For 14 years she has been developing and leading projects in Hout Bay’s township Imizamo Yethu. The projects are now all directed by local clubs or schools.
Sylke is still working as a family therapist at a Model C School (an old multidisciplinary state school). In her work as the director of a volunteer organization, she met many young people who did an excellent job in the township projects.
Sylke is happy to be able to share the chairmanship with Pauline and Birgitta, 2 former volunteers. Sylke has withdrawn from active project support and wants to focus together with the other club members on collecting as much donations as possible for a good cause in Imizamo Yethu (IY or Mandela Park).
Sylke is a networker and therefore has many reliable contacts in the community. She is a founding member.
Email: sylke.funk@ubuntuforafrica.com
Phone: 0027 73 404 3601