• Other

Retirement Fund Solutions supports Projekt Lilie

The 2021 Projekt Lilie event took place on 24 September 2021.

Retirement Fund Solutions (RFS) has been an ardent supporter of Projekt Lilie for the past 15 years and this year an amount of N$12 000 has once again been donated towards this great initiative.

Tilman Friedrich, former MD of Retirement Fund Solutions, as well as one of the founders of Projekt Lilie and the chairperson of the board of curators since its foundation, advised that RFS considers a good education system indispensable for economic development and competitiveness.

“I have been involved in education management for many years and have a personal interest that also reflects RFS’s philosophy on social engagements. Therefore, we have sponsored a table every year and are proud of our contribution towards better education in our country.”

RFS believes that through public recognition at the occasion and the media, Projekt Lilie aims to support teachers’ pride and self-realisation. The substantial prize money aims to encourage teachers to go beyond their teaching mandate. A secondary aim is that teachers stay in this key profession and that school leavers choose teaching as a career.

Friedrich believes that Projekt Lilie has achieved its aim but can be more effective even if schools also put more emphasis on measuring and incentivising teachers’ performance using Projekt Lilie as one of the tools.

“Teachers really look forward to this annual occasion and the votes of thanks delivered by award winners in the past bear testimony to the extent of teachers’ appreciation of this project. The fact that the number of bursary holders funded by the AGDS, one of the co-sponsors of Projekt Lilie, has at least been constant over the past 15 years, is also a reflection of Projekt Lilie’s impact.”

His hope is that Namibia will become known for offering the best education system in Africa. “This is truly a dream of ours and it is not unreachable,” concludes Friedrich.

‘Projekt Lilie’ is a private non-profit initiative of the German-speaking community in Namibia and was launched in 2005. In furthering the original objects of Privatschule Karibib, Projekt Lilie strives to maintain and promote cultural diversity in general and the German language and culture in Namibia more specifically, through its cooperation with and support of schools offering German as mother tongue. At present 11 schools across Namibia providing for a diverse learners’ population of some 3 500 who participate in this project. Teachers do not only serve their school community but the Namibian community in a much wider sense, for which they deserve the support and recognition of the wider Namibian community, and our business community more specifically.