- “All Children Have Potential” extended for another three years
- 81 children have already benefited from individual support
- Important contribution to equal opportunities in Wesel
Wesel, February 11, 2026 – The project “Every Child Has Potential,” which has been running since 2013, will continue and once again receive support from ALTANA in the coming years. The partners have now agreed to extend the initiative. Rainer Benien, Mayor of the City of Wesel; Martin Babilas, CEO of ALTANA AG; Astrid Wahl-Weber, Principal of the Wesel community elementary school, Gemeinschaftsgrundschule (GGS) Innenstadt; and Astrid Vogell, Deputy Director of the Academy Klausenhof, signed a contract yesterday to continue the educational coaching initiative through 2028. This means that elementary school children in Wesel from socially disadvantaged backgrounds will benefit from individual support provided by volunteer mentors for at least another three years.
To facilitate this, ALTANA funds a social education specialist from the Academy Klausenhof, who recruits, supports, and coordinates the volunteers on site at the school. “ALTANA is active worldwide and at the same time deeply rooted in the Wesel location. Together, we are committed to supporting disadvantaged children and thus contribute to greater equality of opportunity,” said Martin Babilas. “My heartfelt thanks go to everyone involved, especially the volunteer mentors. We wish the project continued success.”
The main focus of the project is to support elementary school children from second grade onward in their personal development. The key success factor is providing undivided attention to each child. That is why the time spent with their respective mentor is at the heart of the initiative. Patience, appreciation, strengthening self-esteem, and building self-confidence are the focus of every single meeting.
The children also benefit from joint activities within the initiative. Last year, these included a circus project during the summer holidays in cooperation with the KREAKTIV Citizens’ Foundation, a visit to the Planetarium in Münster followed by a city tour, and an excursion to the Ellerdonk Gravel Plant in Wesel-Bislich, where the children gained insights into the extraction and processing of local raw materials. In addition, for the first time in the first half of 2025, a STEM (MINT) group was offered for older children in the project. The participating children regularly explored various STEM topics and put them into practice with great curiosity and motivation. A second round of the program began in fall 2025 for fourth-grade children.
“Our goal is to meet every child where they are, to support them individually, to boost their self-confidence and self-assurance, and to nurture their skills,” said project manager Hildegard Derksen of the Academy Klausenhof. “Fostering each child’s confidence in their own effectiveness is the core of our work. The educational coaching project is an important tool for giving some children this opportunity and is a key element in supporting and promoting them. Volunteering for this is very rewarding. I am convinced that the children, even if they can’t always show it, benefit greatly from the project.”
Successful Education Partnership
Currently, 15 mentors are supporting 20 girls and boys as part of the initiative. Since the start, 47 volunteers have been involved on a long-term basis. So far, 81 children have benefited from the intensive support of their mentors. “The need for support of all kinds remains very high at the GGS Innenstadt location,” noted Astrid Wahl-Weber. “The project is a fixed part of our school program and is always considered within the framework of the family elementary school center, Familiengrundschulzentrum Innenstadt. Over the years, many elementary school children have received support in this way. At the same time, it is foreseeable that the need for support will continue to grow given the increasingly difficult living conditions of children from socially disadvantaged families. That is why the school and its partners always keep an eye on ensuring equal opportunities for children. The commitment of volunteer mentors is of central importance.”
Rainer Benien added: “The project in Wesel is an exemplary model of success. Particularly noteworthy is the long-standing voluntary commitment that opens up new perspectives for primary school children. Anyone who would like to support young people is warmly invited to become part of it.” The mentors not only receive training, qualification measures, and further education, but also meet regularly to exchange their experiences.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, project coordinator Hildegard Derksen is available to answer questions by phone at (0176) 15847340 or by email at derksen@akademie-klausenhof.de.
F.l.t.r.: Astrid Vogell, Astrid Wahl-Weber, Rainer Benien, Martin Babilas
About ALTANA:
ALTANA is a global leader in true specialty chemicals. The Group offers innovative solutions for coating manufacturers, paint and plastics processors, the printing and packaging industries, the cosmetics sector, and the electrical and electronics industry. The product range includes additives, specialty coatings and adhesives, effect pigments, sealants and compounds, impregnating resins and varnishes, and testing and measuring instruments. ALTANA’s four divisions, BYK, ECKART, ELANTAS, and ACTEGA, all occupy a leading position in their target markets with respect to quality, product solution expertise, innovation, and service.
Headquartered in Wesel, Germany, the ALTANA Group has 66 production facilities and 69 service and research laboratories worldwide. Throughout the Group, more than 8,000 people work to ensure the worldwide success of ALTANA. In 2024, ALTANA achieved sales of more than 3 billion euros. About 7 percent of the total sales is invested in research and development each year. Its high earning power and high growth rate make ALTANA one of the world’s most innovative, fastest growing, and most profitable chemical companies.