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Star for Life 

Expanding and providing support where it is needed most

Star for Life is a non-profit organisation that works to create better circumstances for young people. Through a unique training programme, our coaches work to help young people strengthen their self-esteem and motivate them to devote themselves to their education, take care of their health, and make wise life choices. This gives them a chance to influence their future.

The idea for Star for Life came to Dan and Christin Olofsson when they were starting a business project in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal region. They saw first-hand how many people were affected by HIV and AIDS. In 2005, the devastating consequences of these diseases led them to start a project at a local school. That was the start of Star for Life.  

Today we work in 120 schools in South Africa, Namibia and Tanzania where, so far, 450,000 young people have taken part in the Star for Life programme. We are also investing in preventive health care. Our three mobile health clinics visit the schools, provide information about health, and offer students health checks.

Star for Life now also operates outside Africa. In Sweden, Motivationslyftet by Star for Life has been active since 2013, and in 2022 Star for Life Ukraine and Star for Life Jerusalem were also launched.

In addition to the collaboration and support from Danir, Star for Life has many committed partners in several countries who together fund the training programme and our work.

We are developing, improving, and adapting our programme for the future

2022 has been an exciting and stimulating year, although we have still been somewhat hampered by the pandemic. After a few years of periodic school closures in southern Africa, it is wonderful that our coaches are now back out at the schools.

We have taken the opportunity to begin extensive efforts to modernise the school programme. In close collaboration with colleagues in South Africa and Namibia, working methods are being evaluated and developed to ensure that we deliver the programme in the most functional and sustainable way. We continue to refine the school programme according to the “social and emotional learning” method. It strengthens students’ self-esteem, their self-leadership skills, and their motivation to do their school work. It also fosters their ability to understand, communicate and build relationships.

The past year has also shown us the true meaning of loyalty. Despite a turbulent and uncertain time in the world, our corporate partners have continued to support us and we have welcomed several new ones. Thanks to their contributions and long-term thinking, we can continue to carry out our mission. We continue to develop feedback to our partners, with videos and reporting from the schools they support. We create meeting places in the form of partner meetings, where we can interact and inform our partners about Star for Life’s ongoing work. Here we can also give our partners the opportunity to network and make new business contacts.

The year in brief

Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, Star for Life Ukraine has been able to start up its first project to support and empower children affected by the conflict. Together with Voices of Children, a training programme is now being implemented to develop children’s IT skills while simultaneously offering psychosocial support to children affected by the war.

In collaboration with Motivationslyftet by Star for Life, we have developed new school materials adapted for Star for Life Jerusalem, which has been launched as a pilot project in four schools in East Jerusalem.

In cooperation with all countries in which we operate, we are working intensively to ensure that Star for Life is equipped for the future. Together, we will continue to make a difference for more children and young people, in more parts of the world. In the places where our support is needed most.

Star for Life 

Star for Life is a non-profit organisation that works to create better circumstances for young people. Through a unique training programme, our coaches work to help young people strengthen their self-esteem and motivate them to devote themselves to their education, take care of their health, and make wise life choices. This gives them a chance to influence their future.

The idea for Star for Life came to Dan and Christin Olofsson when they were starting a business project in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal region. They saw first-hand how many people were affected by HIV and AIDS. In 2005, the devastating consequences of these diseases led them to start a project at a local school. That was the start of Star for Life.  

Today we work in 120 schools in South Africa, Namibia and Tanzania where, so far, 450,000 young people have taken part in the Star for Life programme. We are also investing in preventive health care. Our three mobile health clinics visit the schools, provide information about health, and offer students health checks.

Star for Life now also operates outside Africa. In Sweden, Motivationslyftet by Star for Life has been active since 2013, and in 2022 Star for Life Ukraine and Star for Life Jerusalem were also launched.

In addition to the collaboration and support from Danir, Star for Life has many committed partners in several countries who together fund the training programme and our work.

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