Growing up without parents is a challenge most of us cannot imagine. We often take it for granted, but the unconditional support of one’s own family is absolutely unique and gives children and adolescents the strength they need in order to grow. This extraordinary  love cannot be replaced, however, the German government is relatively committed to its responsibility for orphans – and provides dormitories, foster parents as well as orphan's pensions.

In Kyrgyzstan, the government’s support is much more confined: although there are 39 orphanages in Kyrgysztan, the care they provide is often limited to the satisfaction of basic needs; and above all, this support ends when orphans reach the age of 16, in some cases 18 years. The fact that the system does not work becomes clear from looking at a shocking number: 65% of young orphans end up in prison after they leave the orphanage. In addition to the low employment rate in Kyrgyzstan, reasons for the high crime rate are a very basic education and, most of all, a lack of vision on how to generate an income for themselves and others. One way to break this vicious circle is entrepreneurship - the Orphan Start Up Camp lets adolescent orphans become entrepreneurs!