More than twenty years ago, the story of Bonnievale Projects Luxembourg ASBL began with a simple encounter that changed lives - on both sides of the world.
In 2002, during a visit to South Africa, three friends from Luxembourg, Nicole , Aly Zeimen and Marc Hermes - met Heidi van der Merwe, a woman already dedicating her time and energy to helping the street children of Bonnievale, a small town about 190 km east of Cape Town.
What they saw touched them deeply: families living on a dumpsite called Plakkerskamp, surviving from what they could find in the garbage. Many children had no schooling, no identity papers, and no real chance to build a future. Back in Luxembourg, they decided not to look away.
Together, they founded Bonnievale Projects Luxembourg ASBL, inspired by Albert Schweitzer’s words:
“The good that a person puts into the world is never lost.”
The first steps were not easy, but with the materials available and the help of local people who believed in the idea, everything slowly became possible - as we can see twenty years later.
At that time, crime and hopelessness among young people were part of everyday life. Many had little to hold on to.
But with every small effort, a bit of trust and hope began to grow — proof that change starts when people stand together.
From friendship and compassion grew a shared purpose: to give children safety, dignity, and the chance for a better tomorrow.
