Federal President Steinmeier visits the center at the zoo and emphasizes the importance of support offers for poor people

Federal President Steinmeier visits the center at the zoo and emphasizes the importance of support offers for poor people

Visiting the Federal President in the center at the Zoo of the Berlin City Mission

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier emphasized the importance of meeting places for poor people when visiting the center at the Zoo of the Berlin city mission. He made it clear that the efforts against homelessness in Germany should not decrease. Steinmeier emphasized that it was important to have meeting places where people can meet from various social milieus.

In the center at the zoo, poverty people receive support from psychologists, social workers and volunteers. The offer is aimed at seniors who are affected by old -age poverty and homeless. According to the city mission, between 50 and 60 people take advantage of the help of the center every week. The premises are located in a former police station in the station building of the zoological garden and also serve as a meeting place for cultural events.

During the visit, Federal President Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbende final certificates to school children who had previously participated in the so-called children's academy of the city mission. The one -week holiday course deals with the topic of poverty and homelessness. The children had the opportunity to get in touch with Marcel strength, who himself lived on the street for 13 years. Strength reported difficult times and was grateful for humanity and empathy that was shown to him in the center at the zoo. He told that he had moved to a dormitory just a few weeks ago.

A nine -year -old participant in the course named Jelle was particularly impressed by how homeless people have to divide their money. An example of this is the consideration of whether a paid toilet is worthwhile. Jelle found that as a child as a child, one euro made no big difference, but very well for the homeless.

According to the city mission, around 2,000 homeless people were counted in Berlin in 2021. However, this number is assessed as too low because there is a high number of unreported cases.

The visiting the Federal President in the center at the Zoo of the Berlin city mission underlines the importance of support offers for poor people and the need to continue to combat homelessness. Such meeting places not only offer practical help, but also the opportunity to make social contacts and exchange ideas.