The very simplest ideas are often the best. And the courage to actually put them into practice pays off. Instead of money, the pupils are asked to donate their empty deposit bottles. That is what Shahwan Borto came up with and introduced a good three years ago at his school at the time, the Maximilian-Kolbe-Gymnasium in Wahn. “In just a few months, over 100 euros came together at first,” says the now 21-year-old. He comes from northern Iraq, belongs to the Yazidi community and fled his homeland with his family nine years ago.
The Yazidis became known to a wider public in 2014 because the Islamic State brutally persecuted the minority in Iraq, killed many of the people and abducted women in particular. “Many of my former neighbours and friends were captured and tortured,” the young man says of the reasons for his flight. His parents and his five siblings have since found a new home in Zündorf. Borto completed his Abitur last year and is now studying law at the university in Bonn.
Alongside his studies, however, he is still involved in voluntary work, just as he was during his school days. Because what started as a school project has since become a club operating nationwide. He named his club, founded in 2016, “Spende dein Pfand”, and it is represented in all 16 federal states. During his school days, Borto received regular training in business-related topics alongside his lessons through educational scholarships, for example in project management and corporate communications. Pupils from other cities and federal states also took part in the seminars. “That is where I made many contacts that I was able to use to found the club,” says the student.
His fellow campaigners are all young people in their early twenties. Today, the club works with 29 schools and companies across Germany. In Cologne, “Spende dein Pfand” has four partners — alongside Borto’s old school, these include the Lise-Meitner-Gesamtschule in Finkenberg.
The cooperation works as follows: once a new partner has been found, the school or company is provided with the deposit collection boxes. They are produced especially for the club, are made of cardboard and can be recycled. The boxes also come with an introductory talk about the purpose and goals of the donation project. “We are currently supporting two projects, one in northern Iraq and one in the Congo,” says Borto.
The money from the donated deposit bottles is used in Iraq to support girls formerly held captive by IS. In the African Congo, the money goes to an organisation that wants to protect girls from genital mutilation. Once the deposit collection boxes have been handed over, the schools and companies organise the project independently. The money collected then goes to the club every month. “Last year we received around 2,000 euros from our partners in Cologne.” The project has since won awards. Last year, the club received the Filippas Engel prize, which is awarded to young people and groups who are socially engaged.
From empties to support
Spende Dein Pfand provides deposit containers for companies, clubs, schools and events. We collect free of charge and pass on the proceeds in full to charitable projects.
