Special moments for children in need

Sharing a little of our happiness: This is the motto under which EPCOS is giving this year's Christmas donation to support the Sternstunden ("Special Moments") charity campaign to help needy children.

Last year, EPCOS donated 20,000 euros to help small farmers in India make use of renewable energy sources. This year, the company has opted to provide the same sum of money to support a respected charity that operates mainly in Germany. In collaboration with broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk, several sponsor banks and insurance companies are likewise committed to helping needy children in Bavaria, Germany and around the world. For the past 20 years, the Sternstunden campaign has promoted relief projects to sustainably improve living conditions for girls and boys who are sick, disabled or needy in other ways.

Everyday assistance for deaf and blind children

Facilities that genuinely meet the special needs of these children are one aspect of the work. One example is the "Institute for the Blind" foundation in Wuerzburg, where blind and deaf children like Kathleen are taught and looked after. The building is 30 years old and desperately needs to be renovated and brought into line with modern didactic standards. For example, small elevations in the handrail indicate that it is about to turn a corner. Similarly, different floor coverings are needed in some cases to mark the transition from one room to another. A lot must be done if the children are to learn to cope to the extent of their capabilities and to live their daily lives without fear. "The more the children are taught and encouraged, the more intensive their contact with their suroundings, and the more they can understand something of the world around them," explains Thomas Jansing, initiator and managing director of the Sternstunden charity.