Anyone with a good idea first shares it with their circle of friends and acquaintances. That was also the case for me. Dr. Christian Gruber and his wife Ursula, with whom I have a long-standing friendship, inspired me after the founding of the Austrian Doctors with their enthusiasm and motivated me to get involved in the cause, help at events, and proofread articles and reports before publication. In this way, I was able to follow the development of the various projects from my desk and get to know them better and better.
In May 2025, I had the honor of becoming a board member. This role naturally entails visiting the projects on site and getting to know our project partners personally. So in September 2025, I went to Kenya for the first time.
As a teacher and teacher trainer, I was naturally very interested in how lessons would be conducted at the schools, and what similarities and differences I could observe compared to schools in Austria. What immediately catches the eye is the simplicity of the resources: blackboard, chalk, a few handmade posters. That’s all there is, yet it is more than compensated for by the incredible dedication of the teachers and the remarkable eagerness to learn of the children, which deeply moved me. Both teachers and students are guided by the vision of a better, safer future. “Girls with dreams become women with visions”, this is also the credo of those responsible for the newly established Boarding school (boarding school) in Eroret, where currently 54 girls live, who are overjoyed about their “safe space“.
The close connection between education and health is clearly reflected in the projects of the Austrian Doctors. Only those who understand the preventability of diseases through basic hygiene principles, such as regular handwashing, will develop a routine. The same applies to balanced nutrition. This is why the wells built in recent years are so important. Thanks to them, it is possible to have enough clean water, irrigate fields, and grow vegetables for school meals, and so on.
The holistic approach we pursue with schools, adult education and social work, well construction and reforestation, and of course healthcare, ensures sustainable development. I am particularly encouraged that the initiatives come from our project partners on site. Together, we try to implement what Goethe already observed: “Knowing is not enough; one must also apply. Willing is not enough; one must also do.” Being part of this community, which wants to make a positive difference and actively implements it, is for me personally the ‘happiness of being able to help.’
Your Mag.a Helga Längauer-Hohengaßner
Deputy Secretary of the Austrian Doctors
