Touching lives, lifting communities
December 22, 2025
(Image: Viva con Agua)
The GEA Foundation launched this year with a promise: to make a tangible difference in people's lives. From scholarships in Germany to clean water in Tanzania, the foundation is already proving that when companies commit to giving back, lives change.
“Without the program, many doors would remain closed to me, and I wouldn't have access to this kind of network. On top of that, I would have faced financial difficulties and had to work more hours, leaving me with less time to focus on my studies,” explains Maissam.
His experience is just one of many stories which illustrate how the GEA Foundation helps open doors, paving the way for a brighter future – one person, one family and one community at a time.
A vision rooted in responsibility
The GEA Foundation pledges to donate one percent of GEA’s net profit annually, splitting funds between centrally managed strategic partnerships and initiatives driven by local charity committees. This dual approach ensures impact at both macro and micro levels – supporting global programs while empowering local teams to address community-specific needs. In its first year alone, the foundation rapidly expanded its network, securing strategic alliances with partners like UNICEF and Ingenieure ohne Grenzen, while local committees have forged ties with regional institutions worldwide.
The red thread connecting all foundation contributions is how they are used, which is to support four key areas: STEM education, child poverty reduction, infrastructure access and disaster relief. “A healthy and sustainable future depends on the resilience, skills and innovation of the next generation,” says Dr. Nadine Sterley, GEA’s Chief Sustainability & Human Rights Officer. “Companies like GEA have a responsibility to give back – not just because it aligns with our strategy, but because it’s the right thing to do.”STEM education: Building tomorrow’s innovators
One of the foundation’s most ambitious goals is to empower the next generation through STEM education. Why? Because STEM skills are the backbone of innovation – and yet, a 2024 GEA survey reveals a troubling situation: a lack of resources and understanding about STEM jobs are barriers for students who might otherwise pursue STEM degrees, which carry a strong reputation and career prospects.
To help reverse this, the GEA Foundation has aligned with multiple partners to tackle the issue head on. A multi-year donation to the Deutsche Universitätsstiftung TANDEM scholarship program will support up to 40 university students over the next 3 years. A few of these students also benefit from having a GEA mentor. Maissam says his relationship with GEA mentor, Vanessa Herbers, has brought clarity and purpose to his studies. “She helped me see my goals more clearly and to understand that landing a job at a big company is less important than finding an environment that suits you and enables personal growth.”For Salma Rhourida, a computer science student and TANDEM recipient, GEA mentor, Dr. Violett Zeller, has provided insights into professional life and practical tips for her future career. “I want to gain a better understanding of the opportunities available to me after graduation. Dr. Zeller invited me to visit GEA which allowed me to experience everyday working life up close and meet other professionals.”
Computer science student, Salma Rhourida, a Deutsche Universitätsstiftung TANDEM scholar recipient, visiting her GEA mentor, Dr. Violett Zeller, at the GEA headquarter in Düsseldorf. (Image: GEA)
UNICEF: STEM education
With UNICEF Germany, the foundation commits EUR 1.8 million over three years to fund coding, robotics and digital literacy programs in underserved regions of India and Peru with a strong emphasis on equal learning and career opportunities for girls.
UNICEF in India
In India, more than 350 educators have received STEM training, and vocational partnerships are helping students connect with industry. Career guidance is now integrated into curricula, ensuring students see a clear path from classroom to career.
UNICEF in Peru
In Peru’s Loreto region, five secondary schools are undergoing curriculum upgrades to close STEM gaps, with a special focus on encouraging girls to pursue science and technology careers.
Child poverty reduction: A brighter future for children
Child poverty isn’t just about lack of resources – it’s about lost potential. In 2025, the GEA Foundation donated EUR 250,000 to Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk, supporting educational and cultural programs that promote children’s rights and help break the cycle of poverty in Germany.
In Greenland, GEA Denmark supported UNICEF’s annual Children’s Summit with a EUR 33,000 donation. The annual summit gives young people from all over Greenland, reflecting diverse cultures and backgrounds, a platform to voice their needs and identify ways to build a better future. The results of this dialogue, this year around the topic of healthy and safe local communities, were turned into a resolution delivered to national leaders.Meanwhile, in India, GEA funded two vehicles to deliver nutritious hot lunches to 16 government-run schools. This simple yet powerful intervention boosts attendance, health and learning outcomes.
Infrastructure access: Clean water, hygiene education and better healthcare
Access to clean water is a basic human right, yet millions still lack it. Through its ongoing partnership with Viva con Agua, the GEA Foundation helps transform lives in Tanzania’s Mbulu and Babati districts.
Projects include:
- Installing solar-powered water systems and rock catchment harvesting to provide sustainable water access to more than 7,000 students and over 3,600 community members
- Building potable water points, toilets and hygiene facilities at schools and replacing septic tanks with biodigesters where possible
- Organizing play-based hygiene education programs to reinforce healthy habits
These efforts improve health, keep kids in school and help their communities thrive as well. In neighboring Mbulu district, water source mapping is underway to extend these benefits even further. Employee Guarang Raval, Senior Manager Component & Plant Design, used GEA’s skill-based volunteering platform to support Viva con Agua with technical designs for rock catchment projects.
New handwashing facilities adjacent the girl’s toilet block at Maheri Primary School, Mbulu district, Tanzania. The handwashing platform – and instructions above reinforcing good hygiene habits – was implemented with support from strategic GEA Foundation partner, Viva con Agua in 2025. (Image: Viva con Agua)
When I visited Boboa Primary School, I was amazed by the new water facilities. The storage tank and handwashing stations aren't just infrastructure – they're tools that will equip our students with healthier habits, dignity and the confidence to learn in a safe environment. These facilities will transform daily routines into lessons of hygiene and responsibility, ensuring our children grow up prepared academically and socially.
Magdelna Shayo
Education Officer, Mubulu Town, Tanzania
Disaster relief: Hope amid crisis
In late 2024, a year's worth of rain flooded areas of eastern Spain in a matter of hours. More than 200 lives were lost, and farm families saw their livelihoods wash away. Through its country charity committee, GEA Spain contributed EUR 26,000 which allowed farm families to restore their agricultural lands and resume cultivation.
In addition to these local efforts, the GEA Foundation contributed a further EUR 500,000 to UNICEF for global disaster relief in 2025. This support provides critical aid to children affected by conflict and natural disasters – from emergency shelters to educational continuity. UNICEF’s 20,000 square meter Global Supply & Logistics Hub in Copenhagen, Denmark, for example, is the largest humanitarian warehouse in the world. Each year supplies of clean water, sanitation and hygiene items, school and medical supplies and medicines are packed and shipped to vulnerable children around the world. In 2024, UNICEF delivered USD 1.234 billion worth of emergency supplies to support humanitarian action in 68 countries and areas.
A growing network of impact
Behind every euro donated and every program launched are real people in Greenland, Peru and many places in between. People whose lives are brighter because a company and its partners choose to care. The GEA Foundation clearly had a successful first year, yet it is just the beginning. For example, three new strategic partnerships focused on STEM education will bring opportunities into new regions and lives. For students like Maissam and Salma, that's not a statistic – it's their future.
