2008 was the best year yet for donations to Primavera Hilfe für Kinder in Not e.V. The association collected a record sum of 433,360.56 euros, 99.000 euros more than the previous year.
Primavera e.V. is an association of past and present Bosch associates that has been overseeing aid projects at Bosch Group locations in third-world countries since 1990. A large proportion of the donations came from a variety of campaigns at several Bosch locations. In Leinfelden (Germany), for example, six trainees organized a Christmas raffle, donating the proceeds of 3,600 euros to Primavera. A great many individual donations from past and present associates also contributed to the record sum raised.
One of the new projects started in 2009 is a school project near Bangalore. The Shanti Bhavan (“Place of Peace”) residential school is located in a rural area about 40 kilometers outside of Bangalore. The school was founded to make it possible for children from the lowest social class, the “untouchables,” to receive a good upbringing and education. As teacher Lalita Law explains: “Our aim is to give the children a first class education, so that they are able to access jobs and careers that would otherwise be beyond their reach.” Associates at the Shanti Bhavan school believe in the importance of teaching values that are aimed at strengthening interpersonal skills, reinforcing tolerance, and cultivating a sense of responsibility. Contact between the children and their families is maintained through visits and vacation trips. The intention and hope is that the children will pass on their experiences and the values they learn in school to their families and neighbors. The positive impressions gained by members of Primavera during a visit last November confirm that this can be achieved.
