The used clothing recycling project "Aktion Hoffnung" of the Diocese of Augsburg (Bistum Augsburg) in Germany has raised a cumulative total of €16 million through second-hand clothing collection since its launch, funding global aid projects. In October 2026, the diocese's Department of World Church (Abteilung Weltkirche), Aktion Hoffnung, and the "One World" Aid Fund (Hilfsfonds Eine Welt) jointly held a 110th anniversary celebration in Ettringen, with more than 200 people attending.

Key Points

  • Aktion Hoffnung has raised a cumulative total of €16 million through used clothing recycling; the diocese's Department of World Church has provided a cumulative total of €34 million in aid funding; the "One World" Aid Fund has separately raised €4.5 million in donations.
  • Ugandan school principal Edward Ssebuyira said at the event that most local families can afford school fees for at most one child, and due to cultural reasons, sons are usually prioritized for education, so aid efforts focus on women's and girls' education.
  • Six clergy members from Cameroon, Romania, India, Kenya, and other places co-celebrated the anniversary Mass; the event also included a used clothing fashion show and musical performances.

At the celebration, representatives of the three partner organizations reviewed 110 years of aid work around the world. The Diocese of Augsburg's Department of World Church has so far allocated €34 million from the diocese for aid projects; Aktion Hoffnung contributed €16 million through used clothing collection; and the "One World" Aid Fund pooled €4.5 million in donations.

Ugandan school principal Edward Ssebuyira spoke as a representative of aid recipients. He explained that most local families can send at most one child to school, and due to cultural traditions, they usually choose to educate their sons. For this reason, aid work prioritizes support for the education of women and girls.

Sister Christina Färber shared her experience of living in Albania for 27 years. She spoke about the local poverty situation and the influence of the "blood feud" (Blutrache) tradition, noting that for many Albanians, blood feuds and faith are deeply intertwined, and people believe that through acts of revenge they can save the soul of the person who has been dishonored.

The atmosphere of the celebration turned lighter during the fashion show segment—a colorful clothing collection assembled from collected used clothes was presented. Musicians Tom and Floh provided accompaniment throughout the event, including for the religious ceremony. The Mass was co-celebrated by six clergy members: Victor Roger Nkou Fils from Cameroon, Nicu Anusca from Romania, Monsignor Wolfgang Huber, diocesan priest Walter Schmiedel, Father Michael from India, and Anton Mahl, a missionary from the Diocese of Augsburg stationed in North Horr, Kenya.

This celebration demonstrated the role of used clothing recycling as a funding hub within the European church aid system: collected second-hand clothing is converted into a source of funding for education, poverty alleviation, and other projects, while the focus of aid is gradually shifting toward women's education.

Source: Millionen für Hilfsprojekte: Sie machen die Welt ein bisschen besser · Originally published on 2026-10-07