New old homeland

Video

30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall

Look back with us on the epochal events that took place in 1989. From the first gap in the Iron Curtain on the border between Hungaria and Austria up to the momentous night of 9 November.

Social cohesion

“My job and my life”

In the Ukraine, if you are not a heterosexual, you risk being harassed. To help her country become more tolerant, Ruslana Panukhnyk is organising the Equality March. Our author attended the event in Kiev – and experienced both rage and courage first-hand.

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Health

Nursing transfer

The start-up Linguedo is solving a distribution problem on the European labour market: Germany has far too few nurses, while in Italy and Spain not all trained nurses can find a job. One of them was Kristine Kasala, who now works as a nurse in Darmstadt, thanks to Linguedo.

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Further articles on social cohesion

Social cohesion

Working European-style

A German start-up with a colourful identity is growing in the heart of Berlin. As an agency placing consultants, Comatch’s business benefits from the diverse background of its staff.

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Housing

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Housing

Living and working in a historic landmark

The redeveloped former military barracks in the Polish city of Oława were awarded the international special prize for KfW's Construction Award 2019. We are presenting the project to you first in English, then in Polish. Dawne koszary wojskowe w Oławie mają bogatą przeszłość. W miejscu, gdzie kiedyś odbywały się przemarsze żołnierzy i treningi koni, powstały biura i pomieszczenia instytucji społecznych oraz niedrogie mieszkania. Projekt został wyróżniony międzynarodową nagrodą specjalną KfW Award Bauen 2019.

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Housing

Recycling in construction

The administrative location of Stadtwerke Neustadt in Holstein in Germany is setting standards for the municipal energy transition. The passive house also incorporates recycled components consistent with the principles of a circular economy and was awarded the "EnEff.Gebäude.2050" prize.

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Housing

Poolside living

In the city of Schwerin, 16 flats have been added to an indoor swimming pool facility from the days of the old East German regime. And people can still go for a dip.

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Housing

Bringing the farm back to life

Four dedicated and highly creative families in Bavaria’s Chiemgau region have revived a farm, fulfilling their dream of living together in the countryside. With this project, they won first prize for the KfW Construction Award 2019 in the category of New Construction.

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People

Column

A beautiful dance in Yugoslavia

War in Croatia, dancing in socialism, “Wind of Change” as your favourite song: author Saša Stanišić describes his life as a teenager.

People

The Facilitator

Dr Dieter Rexroth is the artistic director of the international Young Euro Classic youth orchestra festival, which he co-founded 20 years ago. Get to know the renowned musicologist who calls our attention to the hidden warning in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in our video interview.

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Further articles on people

People

Our channel to Brussels

Europe’s promotional banks are joining forces to overcome the major challenges of our time – a mission best accomplished with direct interactions on a day-to-day basis in the EU’s political and administrative capital. David Denzer-Speck runs the KfW office at the heart of the EU.

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Health

Health

Nursing transfer

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To the article about mobile labs in Africa

Health

A certain meausure of security

Afghans still make up the largest group of refugees seeking asylum in Europe. But the situation is improving in some areas of the country. In northern Afghanistan KfW has been involved in a development programme for stabilising the region for close to ten years.

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Health

Preventing epidemics

KfW and the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine are joining forces to identify outbreaks of dangerous infectious diseases at an early stage. The goal of the project is to establish a regional network of mobile laboratories in East African countries.

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To interview with Isabel Thywissen

Health

Protection against hospital germs

Patients become infected with pathogens as many as 700,000 times a year during a stay in hospital. In order to optimise hand hygiene in hospitals, the start-up GWA Hygiene relies on artificial intelligence.

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Health

High demand for German medical technology

DEG healthcare expert Isabel Thywissen talks to us about the growing global demand for innovative medical technology produced by German companies and about the funding possibilities and investment opportunities that exist in this regard.

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Education

Education

Culinary ambassadors

Two chefs from North Rhine-Westphalia travelled to Manila to teach German cuisine to Filipino apprentices. What they didn’t expect: they also learned a lot from the experience. We report from a country that is rich in young people, but poor in training opportunities.

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Education

Vivian becomes an engineer

An initiative promoted by KfW and JICA intends to improve Africa's higher education landscape. This includes expanding the Pan African University (PAU). Vivian Ogechi is a Nigerian citizen and was among the first to graduate in Algeria from the university established in 2013.

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Further articles on education

Ackerdemia is growing vegetables together with school children

Education

Crops in the schoolyard

Ackerdemia is bringing the veggie patch into the school and convinced the jury of the KfW Entrepreneurs' Award 2018. The project won the Social Entrepreneurship special prize 2018.

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Education

School in exile

Refugee teachers are teaching refugee children as Syrians in Turkey help themselves. Voluntary teachers are improvising schools. On behalf of the German Federal Government, KfW is supporting the UN's Children's Fund UNICEF in providing education in refugee camps.

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Demographic change

Famous athletes in Niger campaign for family planning and HIV prevention

Demographic change

Strong men for condoms

A surprising marketing idea: famous athletes in Niger campaign for family planning and HIV prevention. As a result, the demand for contraceptives has risen sharply in Niger.

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