What it means to live in a good world? Tilian immediately reels off a whole string of answers at this question: “A good home, a roof over everybody’s head, everyone living happily together, no species goes extinct, enough living space, food and drink for everyone – and all areas of the world should remain habitable,” he says. The 11-year-old from the Palatinate is Talking Hope’s youth ambassador this week. For one day, he is helping in the office, tidying up the desk of a colleague and shredding old documents.

In return, he collects a donation that benefits the Tagwerk Foundation’s “Aktion Tagwerk”, a nationwide campaign for pupils of all ages and all types of schools that was first launched in the Germany’s federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate in 2003. This year, the campaign is entitled “Protecting our climate and resources”. The foundation has collected around 600,000 euros so far, which will be used to support sustainability projects, particularly in Africa, according to Giulia Cicoria from Tagwerk. Tilian’s Gymnasium zu St. Katharinen in Oppenheim has been taking part in the campaign for years. The students are allowed to take the day for their campaign activities.

Tilian is particularly pleased that half of his donation goes directly to his high school’s partner school in Rwanda, the Groupe Scolaire Ruyenzi in Nyanza, about 100 kilometres southwest of the capital Kigali. “A dormitory is being built there right now, because some of the older students who are taught in the afternoon can’t make it home every day,” he says.

“Something with sustainability”

“Doing something good and getting a feel what it is like when you go to work”, that is what Kilian finds cool about the Tagwerk project. Later this year, he also wants to earn some extra pocket money by helping out at the farm store in his neighbourhood: “Clearing shelves and stuff like that.” His role model is his big sister, who has done the same.

What he likes about Talking Hope is “that you’re doing something with sustainability.” At school, his 5th grade class has even won the school’s sustainability award, he says. In a competition organized by the school to invite pupils to use energy sparingly, he and his classmates came in first. “Turning off the beamers, devices and displays after class, closing windows, separating trash, and paying attention to the radiators” were all tasks. The prize: Next month, the school class will be allowed to “eat as much ice cream as you want” on a field trip, he says. Five to six scoops, preferably chocolate, he thinks he will be able to manage, he says with a big smile.

Chocolate cookies for the future

As part of Aktion Tagwerk, he has also baked chocolate cookies that a friend helps sell at a stall in the street. Another school friend is helping his granddad in the garden and also collects a donation for the campaign.

What we love about Tilian’s efforts? At Talking Hope, we are convinced that every voice matters when it comes to building a sustainable, carbon-neutral future. In particular, disadvantaged groups must be able to help shape the transformation to sustainable living conditions and participate actively and equally in the climate discourse.

But we also believe that every effort counts. And if 11-year-old students are willing to take responsibility for their environment and a sustainable tomorrow, then surely this should also be possible in the adult world, in politics, in business?

So we say from the bottom of our hearts: How wonderful that you are a role model, Tilian! Thank you!