MY LIFE IN GERMANY

Anastasia Fechner: Using positive words to change our worlds

Anastasia Fechner is the founder of Love Place International Ministries e.V. Germany, an evangelical Christian Charismatic Movement, whose core mission is “to replicate Christ’s love and principles to the nations of the world, making disciples of all nations”. Anastasia Fechner is an inspiration coach who fervently believes that equipped with the power in scriptural knowledge, everyone is capable of realising …

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Journalist honoured for supporting African migrants in Berlin

The Berlin-based Gambian journalist and activist Nyima Jadama has been honoured for her engagement against racism and for the empowerment of African migrants. She received this year’s Silvio-Meier-Preis (Silvio Meier Prize), awarded by the Berlin district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg to people who work against racism and discrimination, on Thursday (13 July) at a ceremony in the federal capital city. Ms Jadama, …

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Opportunities for Africans in nursing care business in Germany

In an exclusive interview with The African Courier, Godfrey Evurulobi, a graduate of international business from the University of Applied Sciences Cologne, narrates how he started and he talks about the nursing care sector in Germany and why his companies are currently recruiting Africans. The Nigerian-born entrepreneur also talks about his successes and challenges so far, and he gives tips to Africans planning to start a business in the country.

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Interview: König Bansah talks about his life since arriving in Germany in 1970

Céphas Kosi Olatidoye Bansah, the Togbe Ngoryifia of the Hohoe Gbi Traditional Area, Ghana, has been living in Germany since 1970. After he was named chief of the 300,000-strong community of Ewe-speaking people in 1992, Bansah chose to continue living in Germany instead of returning home. The master agricultural machinery mechanic and master motor vehicle mechanic, who is better known …

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ZDF shows film about König Bansah and his daughter

ZDF will broadcast the new documentary film König Bansah und seine Tochter (King Bansah and his daughter) on 29 March. The film takes viewers to Ludwigshafen, where Togbui Ngoryifia Kosi Olatidoye Céphas Bansah lives and runs a car repair workshop, and on a journey to Africa, where he’s a chief who is active in the development of his community. König …

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Immigrants often fail German language tests, new report reveals

In Germany, almost half of first-time participants don’t successfully complete their German language courses. A parliamentary inquiry also showed that the share of those who failed tests has steadily been increasing since 2017. According to the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung newspaper, almost half of first-time participants in German language tests for immigrants (“Deutschtest für Zuwanderer“, or DTZ) did not successfully complete …

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“Let’s imbibe German values” – Nana Kwaku Kwatei advises

Hamburg-based retiree (73) talks about his 36-year sojourn in Germany and the important lessons immigrants can learn from society. I came to Germany in January 1984 to seek political asylum. Before coming to this country, I knew Germany was one of the democratic Western countries, highly industrialised and noted for its cars – Mercedes Benz, VW, etc. and  machines. It …

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“Much has been done to see that foreigners are integrated,” Diana Mouzales-Napp on how she was supported to become self-employed in Germany

My father is Greek and my mother is Ghanaian. I came to Germany in the late 1990s to learn the German language and be a bilingual secretary. And Cupid’s arrow pierced my heart. The Germans are a down-to-earth people and I was fascinated by their difficult language. It was not an easy road considering the language barrier when I first …

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“My general advice to Africans is to aim higher than doing odd jobs,” says Ibironke Ola-Oni (42) on being successful in Germany

I am the daughter of the well-known Nigerian human rights activist Comrade Oladipo Ola-Oni. My family originated from Ibadan, Nigeria, and I have been living in Germany since 1992. In Nigeria I was motivated by the way my best friend spoke the German language. It fascinated me. I developed so much affection for it that my dad applied for me …

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“Life in Germany has instilled in me the precious virtue of punctuality,” says Lilly Meme, Medical doctor

I am a 31-year-old Kenyan. I left my home country more than twelve years ago, six months after I completed my secondary education. My initial reason for coming to Germany was my interest in the German language. Since I had already learnt it for four years in my secondary school, I wanted to further my skills before I embarked on …

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“I quickly learnt that you need the German language and education to achieve your goal,” says Lanre Mabinuori (49) as he talks about successfully living in Germany

Originally from Nigeria, I am now German and have lived in Germany since 1989. I’m happily married to a German woman and we have four children. I quickly learnt that you need the German language and education in this country to achieve your goal. For this reason, I first learnt the language and obtained technical education training. I’m a mechatronics …

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Interview: The story of Dr Adebisi Laja’s life in Europe since arriving in June 1954 in the words of the Germany-based Nigerian-born medical doctor

Adebisi Laja, born in 1932, first arrived in Europe in June 1954, when he disembarked a ship that took him from his native Lagos to Liverpool. In October 1958, he moved to Germany to study medicine. The old, but still very energetic man, talks about life in Europe and Germany then and now; he reveals how he deals with the …

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My Life in Germany, our new online Series

The recorded presence of Africans in the territory of today’s Germany can be traced back to the 13th century, when it was fashionable for royal as well as other wealthy households to keep Africans as court servants.  Later waves of Africans from Germany’s colonies – Togo, Cameroon, Southwest Africa (now Namibia) and Tanzania – came between the late 1890s and …

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