The Most Important in Brief

SONNE-International is an Austria-based NGO that has been supporting marginalized children and adults in the Global South since 2002. Founded by Erfried Malle, who continues to lead the organization, SONNE-International initially focused on education programs for disadvantaged children in Bangladesh. Over the years, our efforts have expanded to Ethiopia (since 2005), Myanmar (since 2008), India (since 2012), and most recently, Malawi (since 2023). We operate branch offices with dedicated project staff in Myanmar and Bangladesh, while in India, Ethiopia, and Malawi, we collaborate closely with local partner organizations. Committed to making a lasting impact, we support people in need regardless of their background. Our key focus areas include education and vocational training, basic healthcare, and women’s empowerment. We operate in remote and often overlooked regions, including the Afar Desert in Ethiopia, the hill tribe communities in Bangladesh, the urban slums of Myanmar, and rural villages in India's poorest state. Since 2005, we have been recognized with the Austrian Donation Quality Seal, and since 2009, donations to SONNE-International have been tax-deductible.

1. Goals

   Our goal is to create a just and sustainable world in which all people have equal access to opportunities, can develop their potential and live in harmony with the environment. We do this through creating access to: • Education and training • Medical care • Income opportunities • Healthy nutrition • Better opportunities • A self-determined life in dignity

2. Principles

   At SONNE-International, we are committed to creating a just and sustainable world where everyone has equal access to opportunities, can realize their potential, and live in harmony with their environment. We believe in empowering individuals to shape their own future by providing sustainable and long-term development opportunities. Our mission is to ensure access to education, healthcare, and support the fight in reaching gender equality. We focus on holistic and long-lasting solutions that enable people to take control of their lives and break the cycle of poverty. Through our work, we strive to create a society where education, social security, and access to resources and healthcare are a reality for ALL. We support all people, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, disability, or sexual orientation. Our approach is inclusive and rooted in the belief that every individual deserves dignity, equal opportunities, and the chance to build a better future. We implement through local teams and partners, prioritizing equal partnerships that empower them with full ownership while offering support where needed. Our work is guided by the following priorities: Priority A – Fighting poverty and reducing social inequality through education and social development Priority B – Expanding and improving access to healthcare Priority C – Promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls In many of our projects, we aim to integrate all these components to provide holistic and sustainable support to our target groups.

3. Measures

   Outcome 1: Marginalized children of school age in the SONNE project regions have improved their educational level. 1.1. Providing Access to Education: SONNE-International operates 30 schools (formal and non-formal) across Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar, offering free education to marginalized children. Operation of 3 student hostels, scholarships programs and tuition classes support access to further education and reduce dropout rates. 1.2. Vocational Training Programs: Provision of vocational training in areas such as tailoring, computer skills, and other crafts. These programs equip vulnerable youth with practical skills to enhance their employment opportunities. Outcome 2: The health of people in the project regions has improved due to increased health awareness and better access to medical care. 2.1. Basic Health Services: Recognizing that only healthy children can learn successfully, SONNE-International complements its educational projects with medical support programs and mobile health care clinics. They provide basic medical care and hospital treatment for emergencies or serious illnesses to students in their educational institutions. Facilitation of awareness programs on hygiene, health, and nutrition to improve overall community health and well-being. 2.2. Medical Emergency Support: Unbureaucratic and fast support for medical emergencies and support for chronic illnesses, and surgical treatments. 2.3. Reproductive Health Education: SONNE-International emphasizes women's and reproductive health, offering education and support on topics such as pregnancy, menstrual hygiene, and family planning. Outcome 3: Women and girls in the SONNE project regions have equal opportunities to shape their lives as their male counterparts and are safe from assaults and sexual violence. 3.1. Income-Generating Projects: SONNE-International implements targeted projects that provide women with skills and resources to start their own businesses or find decent work. These initiatives promote financial independence and self-determination among women in the communities they serve. 3.2. Empowering girls and raising awareness of gender-based violence: Operating karate and self-defense classes, fostering self-esteem and equipping them to advocate against sexual violence in their communities.

4. Financing

   Our financing strategy is to be as broadly based as possible in order to be able to implement our projects in the long term and in a crisis-proof manner. Foundations and public funding bodies: To design and implement sustainable projects. An important factor here is that we can cover a proportion of the running costs for SONNE operations. A diversified mix of private and family foundations as well as public sponsors is important to us in order to be resilient in economically and/or politically difficult times. Private donations: Enable us to build a large network of individual supporters and thus receive unrestricted funds that can be used quickly and unbureaucratically. Private donations are essential to ensure the flexibility of our funding programs. Our strategy is also to expand our SONNE community in order to strengthen the supporting community and be able to fall back on it, especially in times of crisis. Sponsorships: During the development of a project, we try to build up sponsorships as a donation format in order to secure the running costs in the long term. These sponsorships are either used for our overall work or earmarked for individual countries and are monthly or annual donations. Corporate partnerships: Are an important source of unearmarked as well as earmarked donations. In addition to company donations that directly support projects, corporate partnerships also help us to minimize ongoing administrative costs (including expenses for fundraising). We want to maintain and expand these partnerships in the long term. Companies also serve as important know-how partners: for example, marketing agencies can advise us while we pass on their knowledge internally, or IT experts develop solutions such as databases that we use together. These synergies enable us to keep running costs - such as rent or printing - as low as possible and ensure long-term stability.

Area of Impact

• Ethiopia
• Afar, Ethiopia
• Malawi
• Blantyre, Malawi
• India
• Bihar, India
• Yangon, Myanmar
• Bangladesh
• Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Chattogram, Bangladesh
• Balaka, Malawi