Returning to Germany, Dorothea decided to take action, involved colleagues, friends, family and students. Many people decided to help her, even through small offers, parish markets and fairs. Subsequently, she founded the company "Eine-Welt-AG" ("A World") and chose as its partner the humanitarian association "Don Bosco Mondo", linked to the Salesian family.
To date, Dorothea Hahn has raised over one million euros, which she has spent over the past 22 years to build seven schools and three residential homes for girls, all provided with school supplies. Her main commitment is precisely to help young Ghanaians girls to receive proper education.
"Despite the material poverty, the Ghanaians are characterized by a great joy of life," explained Ms. Hahn. "Despite the well-being, in Europe we are often in a bad mood and pessimistic. The Ghanaians instead see the glass always half full. Optimism binds me to the people of Ghana," she added.
In Ghana, the Salesians of Don Bosco are committed to fostering the growth of children and young people in the name of the entire pedagogy of Don Bosco and, in these 22 years, Dorothea has supported them so that they could successfully implement their projects.
In the fall, when Dorothea returns to Africa, a (female) student house will be inaugurated in the city of Sunyani. "Here they will be able to live, study in Salesian institutions and obtain a diploma in domestic economics, become secretaries, specialize in agriculture and gastronomy. In any case, I will continue to promote scholastic and vocational training, especially for girls because they are the mothers of tomorrow. The girls who have gone to school will send their children to study and will be able to help them with their homework. If they have learned a job, if they are autonomous, they can support their children even for a university study," concluded Ms. Hahn.
