OUR
STORY
Tessy was found in March 2017 under a bridge in Douala, Cameroon, abandoned and left to her fate. This dangerous place is infested with poisonous ants, biting insects, and snakes. Fortunately, the baby was discovered alive. A man brought her to the orphanage Nouvelle Destinée. The children already living there gave the girl the name Tessy.
At that time, the Hamburg-based linguist and teacher Dr. Marc Ntouda was in Cameroon visiting his family. By chance, he learned about Tessy’s fate. As a father himself, Marc did not hesitate. He paid for the baby’s urgently needed medical care out of his own pocket and stayed by her side in the hospital for four days.
To be able to support Tessy in the long term, Marc mobilized his network via his private Facebook page. The response was overwhelming. Friends, acquaintances, and members of his fitness club donated spontaneously. This encouragement strengthened Marc’s decision to commit himself intensively to supporting orphaned children.
Back in Hamburg, he spoke about Tessy and the conditions at the Nouvelle Destinée orphanage. His accounts deeply moved many people. An engaged team quickly formed, and the association Hilfe für Tessy was founded. The goal is not only to support Tessy, but to enable all orphaned children at Nouvelle Destinée to have a better long-term future, and in the future to support additional orphanages as well.
In the photo: Tessy with braided hair. Her facial expression appears joyful and at the same time slightly focused, as if she is very happy about the gift and holding it carefully.
More than just aid
Helping Tessy e. V. stands for far more than material support. The organization develops structured education programs that combine language support, basic life skills, and health education in a multilingual and culturally diverse environment.
Since March 2017, we have accompanied orphaned children in Cameroon on their educational paths. Through donations and project-based funding, their living and learning conditions have been sustainably improved.
Education and support:
100 young people have received a solid foundation for their future through targeted education and skills programs.
Individual language instruction:
French, English, and German courses with teaching methods tailored to the children’s specific learning needs.
School fees and materials:
Coverage of costs and provision of learning materials to ensure continuous education.
Health and hygiene:
Training, vaccinations, and medical care to stabilize the ability to learn.
Improved living conditions:
Equipping accommodations with basic infrastructure such as mattresses, bedding, and mosquito nets. As part of the project “Future prospects for orphaned children in Cameroon through education and sustainability,” only solar lamps and water filters were purchased. This project was funded by the Norddeutsche Stiftung für Umwelt und Entwicklung with resources from BINGO! Die Umweltlotterie and has been completed.
Nutritional support:
Food vouchers to ensure a balanced diet over extended periods.
Cleanliness and safety:
Cleaning and disinfection of accommodations to improve hygienic conditions.
Christmas initiatives:
Since 2017, every child has received a personal gift each year, including during the years 2020 to 2023.
OUR
VISION
Access to education
Guidance
Qualification
Self-determination
Creating educational opportunities for children without starting advantages.
Millions of children grow up without reliable access to education. For orphans and socially disadvantaged children, this often means a life without choices, without professional prospects, and without real participation.
Helping Tessy e. V. was founded to address exactly this reality. Our goal is to give children in Cameroon real opportunities for a self-determined life through education, vocational training, and stable living conditions.
We do not support children only in the short term. We accompany them over many years. We secure school attendance, enable vocational qualification, and create the conditions that make learning possible in the first place.
Our vision is a society in which origin does not determine life paths. Education is not a promise. It is a concrete tool.
OUR
SUPPORTERS
We quickly found some wonderful partners and supporters, without whom our commitment to the orphans would be unthinkable. They sponsor our activities and support us with donations in kind and money, among other things. We thank them for their help in the past and hope for further support in the future.
OUR
TEAM
The HELPING TESSY team consists of people from completely different backgrounds. However, the love of sport and the passion for the project brings us close together and motivates us to always come up with new ideas and actions.
Here, our founder Marc, the board and the design team introduce themselves.
OUR
FACTS
100
Number of supported children.
30
Youth in Training
61
Number of completed educational pathways.
10
CHARITY
EVENTS
CONTACT
US
We look forward to hearing from you at any time with questions or feedback.
Helping Tessy e.V.
c/o Dr. Marc Ntouda
Eifflerstrasse 36
22769 Hamburg
Deutschland
+49176 41612808
