Staying involved after returning home

"The work we put into development services are an investment in our own society." With these words Hans-Jürgen Wischnewski presented the Development Workers Act to the German parliament in 1968. What the former minister for economic cooperation proclaimed back in 1968 has proven to be true time and time again. Our "facets of return" illustrate what such an investment might look like.

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From development service to the Supervisory Board of GIZ

Louisa Sedjro has been advocating for more ethnic and cultural diversity, as well as dialogue on inclusion and intersectionality at GIZ since her return from her development service in Togo. Since 2022, she has also been the first black woman on the GIZ Supervisory Board.

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Sport for Development

As a Football coach and trainer of trainers Sascha Bauer travelled around the world.

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Paul e.V. – Partnership for Fostering Life Journeys

In 2000 Gertrud Schauber founded Paul e.V. – Partnership for Fostering Life Journeys. The project partnerships that were then formed with three organisations in Ghana are still going today. Since then the connections have grown and developed - at the personal level as well.

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Volunteering for "plant for the planet" and "Fridays for Future"

Tabea Maier lived in the Philippine Cordillera with her parents. In Germany she volunteers for "plant for the planet" and "Fridays for Future".

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Working in community supported agriculture

Family Maier continue their sustainable style of living from their time on the Phillipines by working in community supported agriculture.

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Mentor for refugee apprentices

As a volunteer senior expert from the Senior Expert Service (SES), Hartmut Stichel accompanies young refugees in their training.

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©Ulrich Malisius

Staying actively involved in the Pacific Network as a returnee

In the Pacific Network - an association of Pacific groups from all over Germany - Karsten Klink advocates the dissemination of political, economic, ecological and cultural concerns of the Pacific island states.

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Staying active in retirement – as a volunteer Senior Expert

Hartmut Stichel is still active in retirement and volunteers in short-term voluntary assignments by the Senior Expert Service (SES).

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I miss Kenya, but feel at home in Germany

After her return from Kenya, Katrin Heeskens got involved in local politics and ran for the city council.

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Writing a book about the experiences in West Africa

"No permanent injuries" - in his book Heiko Schwarz tells the story of the first three of a total of ten years that he and his wife Romy lived in the mountains of the Fouta-Djalon.

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From flea market to collecting donated jigsaw puzzles

Gabriele and Wulf Schubert support a smallholder organization in Zimbabwe through the Weltfriedensdienst e.V. with the jigsaw puzzle marathon.

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The end of a service contract doesn’t mean the end of the relationship

The Brenner-Büker couple was working in Colombia, where they were involved in various processes for peace, neighborhood work and organizational development. Many connections from that time still exist today.

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Education meets Development – promoting global studies

Bettina Waldt shares her experiences in development work with children, young people and adults in workshops in the "Education meets development" program.

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Processing the experience gained in the doctoral thesis

After her development service in Colombia, Friederike Repnik processed the experience gained in her doctoral thesis.

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Serving on the Returnees Committee

Susanne Blochberger and Angela Grünert are involved in the Returnee Committee of "Brot für die Welt".

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Transferring knowledge as a country analysis tutor

As a tutor for the "country analysis" at the Academy for International Cooperation (AIZ), Rainer Tigges provides information on political, economic, cultural and social aspects in Chad.

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Education and advocacy for civil conflict resolution

Returnee Agnes Sander works as a peace education advisor in the project “civil instead of military” of the "Aktionsgemeinschaft Dienst für den Frieden" (AGDF).

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