Uganda goes to school!

Leitner Reisen opens 3rd school with Fly & Help

The Franconian tour operator Leitner Reisen opened its third school in Uganda a few weeks ago. The elementary school in Jinja, Uganda, comprises five classrooms and sanitary facilities for 400 pupils, with the old school being extended by a completely new building.

The project was financed by Leitner Reisen itself together with the Reiner Meutsch Foundation Fly & Help as well as donations from customers and partners of the tourism company. Uganda is one of the poorest countries in East Africa, and the country's infrastructure is correspondingly inadequate. In Uganda, it is not uncommon for children to contribute to the family income by working from an early age, explains Christoph Führer, founder and CEO of Leitner Reisen. The new educational offer creates the opportunity for school attendance. "As a tour operator, it is a matter close to our hearts to give something back to the people in the countries we travel to. It therefore fills us with great joy and pride that we have now been able to complete and open the 3rd Leitner school," emphasizes Führer.

The opening ceremony in Uganda was organized by the community and all sponsors of the project. Führer and Sebastian Dietl, Head of Marketing at Leitner Reisen, took part from Leitner Reisen. The program included traditional dances, speeches at the ceremony and a blessing of the school by the local priests. The children received new, filled school backpacks from Leitner Reisen at the opening ceremony. Sebastian Dietl describes the impressive experience: "Certainly one of the most impressive and emotional days I have had the pleasure of experiencing. Seeing the gratitude and joy of the children on site was something very special." Führer adds: "The fact that these children now have the chance to lead a self-determined life and thus actively shape the development of this beautiful country fills us with great pride and gratitude."
Over the course of the year, Leitner Reisen will be providing information about the schools in Nuremberg, Munich and Stuttgart together with the pilot and founder of the Fly & Help foundation, Reiner Meutsch. The two-hour event "Adventure around the world" shows impressive pictures of Meutsch's adventures around the world and presents the aid projects.

In cooperation with the Fly & Help Foundation, Leitner Reisen promotes school construction in developing countries, thus giving children access to education. The first Leitner school opened in Otjizeka, Namibia, in May 2022, followed by the second in O Trach Krom, Cambodia, in October 2023. The fourth Leitner school is scheduled to open in Nepal at the end of 2024 and a fifth is planned for 2025.
Leitner Reisen customers can actively support the school projects. When booking the trips "Mexico - Night of the German Schlager", "Nambibia - Stars under Africa's Stars 2024" and "Rwanda - Adventure Tour", 50 euros each will go directly to the foundation. Some trips also include a school visit, such as the eleven-day "Namibia Flying Safari", the ten-day round trip "Malawi 2024" and the eleven-day round trip "Togo 2024".
With around 100,000 guests a year, Leitner Reisen is one of the leading direct-marketing tour operators in southern Germany. For 75 years, the company has been offering customers in the best-ager segment an extensive portfolio of worldwide group tours on a wide variety of travel themes. At the company headquarters in Allersberg, Franconia, everything from production to the call center is in the hands of around 75 employees.


More information:
www.leitner-reisen.de/