More than 20 years ago, citizens from the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis had a bold idea: let's set up a foundation and use its proceeds to fund development aid projects in Africa, Latin America and Asia. We all live in „One World“ – there is no other – so residents of privileged regions, such as the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis, can and should support people in poorer countries. Projects in the fields of education and small-scale enterprise should be the main focus, such as supporting schools or issuing microloans to set up a tailors„ shop or purchase seeds needed by a village cooperative for its market garden. All projects should pursue the goal of “helping people to help themselves".
However, it took years before that happened. The impetus for establishing the (community) foundation for One World work in the region was provided in 2002/2003 by the „Aktionskreis Eine Welt Kürten“, which, in collaboration with interested individuals and representatives of the Stadtverband für Entwicklungszusammenarbeit Bergisch Gladbach e.V. (an umbrella organisation for various One World groups), carried out extensive preparatory work. And then there was a really high hurdle: for a foundation, the initiators at the time needed €50,000, to be raised within a year.
What hardly anyone thought possible finally worked. With €54,000 in the account – of which the Eine Welt local association contributed €5,000 – a group led by Gabriele Apicella, Horst Fossen, Rainer Henze, Hans-Josef Irlenbusch and Dettlef Rockenberg applied for the recognition of the „Eine-Welt-Stiftung Rhein Berg“. On 29 August 2006 – 20 years ago – they finally received the foundation certificate from the Cologne district government, while at the same time the tax office recognised their charitable status.
An occasion like this has to be celebrated! On 10 September 2026, the Executive Board and Board of Trustees of the Eine-Welt-Stiftung Rhein-Berg invited guests to a birthday reception in the Bensberg council chamber. Among those who attended were the Deputy District Administrator Peter Lautz, Bergisch Gladbach's Mayor Marcel Kreutz, development aid experts Susanne Schmitz and Birgit Koepsell, Alexis Kouassi from the Ghana Project and, last but not least, the Cologne cabaret artist Wilfried Schmickler, who shared his perspective on the „One World“ with the audience in a wonderfully witty speech. Rainer Henze, one of the foundation's founders, was also formally awarded honorary membership of the Executive Board.
Guitarist Katja Attalah provided the musical accompaniment. The host for the evening was Arne Meinhardt.
Mirko Smiljanic
Bergisch Gladbach, 12 September 2026