The Midnight Sun International School’s support association was founded on June 1, 2013 in Sulzdorf near Giebelstadt. The board consists of the first chairwoman Sabine Valentin and the second chairwoman Marion Schlösser.

These are the seven founding members: Irmgard Valentin, Hugo Valentin, Marion Schlösser, Jürgen Schlösser, Alfred Steimer, Apolonia Steimer and Sabine Valentin
The association was registered in the association register on March 14, 2014 under registration number VR205301 with the business address at Großhesseloher Str. 19, c/o Valentin Sabine, 81479 Munich. At the general meeting on August 24, 2014, the name change of the association with the addition of “International” was decided. The purpose of the association was also expanded.

The purpose of the association is to promote education through the ideological and financial support of the Midnight Sun International School, Box 79, Walewale, Ghana.

The school was founded in 2012 by Richard Bindifrim and Lamisi Yerrow to provide basic education for the children of the rural community of Langbinsi in northern Ghana. It includes a kindergarten and a primary school. One of the goals is for children between the ages of 2 and 13 to learn together at the Midnight Sun School and for the early childhood phase of development to be used to the maximum, particularly to learn English. This is of great importance as the transition to a higher school (secondary school or university) is only possible with English. At the moment, 250 students are being taught by 6 teachers in 5 classrooms.

In close cooperation with the founders of the school, it was worked out that the school could also be promoted by providing better support for the school’s orphans. There are currently 11 orphans at the school. The children are placed in foster families. There, the health care for the children is usually poor. There are plans to build an orphanage on the school premises. The school fees for the orphans must also be financed through donations.

The association pursues exclusively and directly charitable purposes within the meaning of the section “tax-privileged purposes” of the tax code (§ 58 No. 1 AO), namely by raising funds and donations (at competitions, events, trade fairs and by directly addressing companies and individuals) and carrying out public relations and advertising of all kinds for the association.

The association operates selflessly; it does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes. The association’s funds may only be used for the statutory purposes. The members do not receive any donations from the association’s funds. No person may be favored by expenses that are unrelated to the purpose of the corporation or by disproportionately high remuneration.

The association is politically and religiously neutral. The association’s offices are honorary.

Mr. Richard Bindifrim works for the association as an assistant who is bound to instructions and accountable within the meaning of Section 57 Paragraph 1 Clause 2 AO. The use of funds in accordance with the statutes. There is a contract with Mr. Richard Bindifrim that was concluded in Ghana in July 2014. Mr. Richard Bindifrim is bound by the general or general instructions on the use of funds from the donations from the Midnight Sun School Friends Association by the Friends Association. The funds from the Midnight Sun School Friends Association may only be used exclusively for the school.

Mr. Richard Bindifrim must provide information on the use of funds at the request of the Friends Association. Reporting must be based on the principles of conscientious and faithful accounting. The donations received are acknowledged by Mr. Richard Bindifrim and their use is stated on the receipt.

At the members’ meeting, Mr. Hubert Schewe and Ms. Brigitte Schraut, Werler Str. 33b from 58706 Menden, were accepted as members. Ms. Brigitte Schraut was a volunteer in Langbinsi, Ghana in July/August 2014.

The association was re-entered into the association register with the changes to the statutes on November 21, 2014.

On December 8, 2014, the Munich tax office, corporate department, issued a notice pursuant to Section 60a, Paragraph 1 of the Fiscal Code (AO) on the separate determination of compliance with the statutory requirements pursuant to Sections 51, 59, 60 and 61 of the Fiscal Code. The association’s tax number is 143/214/62058.

In 2014, 6,100 euros were generated for the Midnight Sun International School in Langbinsi, Ghana. 4,800 euros were transferred to Ghana or handed over directly in 2014 (including January 2015).

The support association’s expenses amounted to 1,300 euros.

This is broken down as follows:

– Notary and registration of the association 200 euros
– Internet provider 150 euros
– Postage 60 euros
– Discussion about the website 50 euros
– Used English children’s books 30 euros
– Printing and creation of flyers 530 euros
– Stamps and ink pads 40 euros
– Account management, transfers abroad 210 euros
– Download song for YouTube 30 euros

What was the financial support spent on locally:

– Cement
– Sand
– Two metal gates and brackets
– Roof for new classrooms (roof sheet, wooden construction and wages)
– Wood for benches for the kindergarten
– School uniforms for poor children
– Two poly tanks for water
– Corner pillars and supports for the wall that was built around the school
– Tools (hammer, plane, saw) to create a shelf of benches
– Nails
– Flooring for three classrooms
– Paint for shelves and benches

From July 23rd to August 18th, Sabine Valentin was on site with two volunteers from Germany: Jonas Müller and Brigitte Schraut.

In July 2014, Jonas Müller launched a very successful appeal for donations in kind and money at his secondary school in Arnstein. On site, he produced stones for the wall around the school, built bricks, built a shelf for the school books and donations, made benches for the kindergarten and repaired school desks and tables.

Brigitte Schraut also did manual work, did office work in the school and helped out wherever help was needed. Attached are a few pictures of the work in Langbinsi for the Midnight Sun International School.