Imagine children’s laughter echoing within these walls. This is the Lernfreunde-Haus. It is more than just a building. It is a symbol of hope and a safe haven for refugee children in Karlsruhe.
The Lernfreunde-Haus provides a structured daily care. Here children from all over the world learn German. They integrate into the community. The house offers a protected space. It helps them find a new perspective.
In 2014, the number of refugees in Germany rose. Reception camps were built in many cities, also in Karlsruhe. Jasmin I. Sahin, UNESON’s founder, collected donations for the refugees. She met a KIT group caring for refugee children.
Jasmin noticed there were no school programs for children in the reception center. She looked for rooms to offer education. Finally, she found the old administrative building for emergency shelters on the KIT campus. This is where the Lernfreunde-Haus began.
The Lernfreunde-Haus opened on November 14, 2016. It is on the KIT campus. Here, children can learn in a safe environment. The Kinderhilfswerk UNESON provides the rooms. They also provide furniture and equipment. UNESON also provides learning materials, books, and paper. They arrange transport for the children. They provide breakfast and lunch.
The Lernfreunde-Haus focuses on the children’s needs. They need a daily structure. They need to play, paint, and do handicrafts. The children need guidance in reading, writing, and math. They need reliable social contacts. They need adults who care about them. They need children to play and learn with. They need people who see them as individuals. People should recognize their strengths. People should support them.
Jasmin Sahin leads the Lernfreunde-Haus. In 2019, the project won first place in the Karlsruhe Child-Friendly Award.
A special project here is the Friedensmantel or peace cloak. Since 2002, it has inspired over 19000 children. They design their visions of peace on fabric patches. These patches are sewn together. The result is a symbolic peace cloak. This cloak continues to grow.
Karlsruhe schools are invited to participate in the Geschwister-Friedensmantel or sibling peace cloak. It is about creative design. It is also about how students can promote peace. They should also think about how to foster cohesion at their school.
Dr. Frank Mentrup, the Mayor of Karlsruhe, supports the project. He encourages schools to strengthen this process.
Every day at the Lernfreunde-Haus begins with a healthy breakfast. After breakfast, the children gather. Then various educational activities take place.
The Monsignore Friedrich Ohlhäuser Foundation supports the Lernfreunde-Haus. They donated money for food to finance breakfast. The foundation also helped find other supporters. The company Mescher donated a washing machine. The company Ludwig donated tools. The company FUMA donated doormats.
The Lernfreunde-Haus is open Monday to Friday. The opening hours are from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The Lernfreunde-Haus and the Kleiderkammer or clothing chamber are closed during school holidays.
The Lernfreunde-Haus stands as a beacon. It demonstrates how a community can come together. It supports its most vulnerable members. It is a place where refugee children can find friendship. They can find education. They can find a sense of belonging. Here, they can build a brighter future.