ABOUT US
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS INSPIRATION
"saam" means "together" in Afrikaans, that is what we want to live:
Together for education in South Africa!
When Irina returned to Liechtenstein from Cape Town in 2018, she was no longer the same person. Her experiences in Dunoon inspired her to do something for the schools and the children: to make a difference. Together with Gianna, she came up with the idea of founding her own association in spring 2021.
The result is Saam Education.
"I had the chance to experience the country as a tourist, student and volunteer in a township. South Africa and its unique people have shaped me in an incredible way. I was able to get to know incredible personalities, experience their culture and learn from their customs.
Working with the children in the township has shown me that everything I have been able to enjoy in terms of education is anything but self-evident. With Saam, I want to give something back and help them!"
Together, we will do everything in our power to provide these children with a school infrastructure that supports their learning process.
OUR VISION
We build sustainable supportive environments where children can learn, feel safe and receive a hot meal every day.
OUR TEAM
Irina Schreiber
Founder
Gianna Gilardi
Co-Founder
Mauro Gilardi
Social Media & Website
Vanessa Garieri
Fundraising
Iris Hulst
Communication
Fleur Hoogenboom
Projekt Management
THE CHALLENGES IN DUNOON
Most of the schools in Dunoon resemble a self-founded day care center. The principals of these schools do everything they can to get the children off the streets and give them a roof over their heads and a hot meal during the day. These women often use their own homes (usually a tin hut) or the garage. There is far too little space for the number of children, no school materials and no toilets.
WE BUILD SCHOOLS
Together with our partner schools in Dunoon, we are planning and implementing their renovation. We want to create a learning-friendly and quiet environment in which the children feel comfortable and can play and learn undisturbed. The aim is to renovate the partner schools so that they meet all legal requirements and can be publicly registered and thus receive financial support from the City of Cape Town.