In October 2020, Yekmal e.V. conducted a nationwide survey in Mainz in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate to determine the needs and main areas of interest of possible social work for and with Kurdish families. Over the months, this led to stability in structured planning, which became visible on April 1, 2021 with the official start of social work in Mainz and thus representing the entire state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The location itself was thus founded on April 1, 2021, and the location's office at Walpodenstrasse 10 in 55116 Mainz was opened on June 1, 2021.
It is important and right for the location to make Kurdish culture, Kurdish life and the Kurdish language visible and promoteable, to preserve these special features and at the same time to promote the active participation of Kurdish families, Kurdish fellow citizens, Kurdish children and young people in the diverse society as a whole.
Function and role
Our location has the role of networking social work with a focus on Kurdish families and the additional role of accompanying, guiding, encouraging and supporting Kurdish children and young people in their everyday lives with all the barriers of school, family and social life. It is particularly important for Yekmal e.V. Mainz to win over and strengthen children from socially deprived areas, from districts with high unemployment, a low level of education and therefore poorer future prospects for its projects. In addition to this empowerment for children and young people, it is also particularly important for the Mainz location to empower the parents of Kurdish children and young people and to educate mothers in particular about the opportunities for individual development.
Programs and focus areas
In addition to the promotion and preservation of Kurdish culture in the form of project offers for learning the Kurdish language via the language of origin lessons (Kurdish-Kurmancî) at German schools here in Rhineland-Palatinate, to learn the cultural characteristics through the world of music (multi-year Tembûr projects) and the world of dance (multi-year Govend projects) in several cities in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, children from 11 nations are also strengthened in their skills and personalities through the power of painting and art in a further multi-year project and receive socio-educational support.
In addition, Kurdish parents in three cities in Rhineland-Palatinate are supported in the German language through weekly language meetings. Online lessons to learn the Kurdish language at level (Kurmancî) also started in September 2023, are currently at language level A1 and will continue with the aim of reaching language level A2.
Another important project is the research and identification of anti-Kurdish racism based on the situation of Kurdish pupils at German schools in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Team and facilities
Our team at the Mainz location consists of educators, teachers and social workers. Other members of the team are trainees and students from various cities in the state.
The Rhineland-Palatinate team is represented in the cities of Alzey, Bad Kreuznach, Bad Sobernheim, Bingen. Ludwigshafen and Mainz and manages projects in the respective cities.
Cooperation and networks
What is special about our location is the active networking that has developed independently both among the parents and between the facilities in the respective cities. Our projects all take place in municipal facilities (neighborhood centers) in the respective cities. These facilities are made available to us free of charge. The representatives of the municipal facilities are also cooperation partners in our projects.
Our projects are funded at federal and state level via federal and state funds. The funding is multi-year.
Location and accessibility
The Mainz office is centrally located in the city center of the state capital Mainz.
Our office is also located parallel to the central bus stop Schillerplatz, which is used by most city buses and streetcars. There are also plenty of parking facilities, especially as the office is within 7-10 minutes walking distance of Mainz Central Station, Johannes Gutenberg University, the Citizens' Office and other central locations.
Contact details
Office community
Walpodenstraße 10, 55116 Mainz
Phone: 06131 - 90 52 65
Cell phone: 0163 - 521 9350
E-mail: buro-mainz@yekmal.de
Facebook: @YekmalMainz
OPENING HOURS
Dates by arrangement