Our Stories, Our Rights: Queen Mother Charity

Queen opens with the idea that everyone has their own story, and hers is about her daughter, who was born in Germany to her and her German husband. After a kindergarten time without any problems, trouble began when the girl started school at the age of six. The teacher described her as loud, aggressive and “not normal” and said she could not attend a regular school. Queen replied that her daughter was still small and deserved a chance. When she asked the authorities for help, she was told the girl would be sent to a Förderschule, a special-needs school. She begged and suggested that her daughter repeat the school year, but was turned down every time, by the school administration, the youth welfare office (Jugendamt) and the public order office (Ordnungsamt). She called it discrimination and asked whether it was because she is Black, which they denied. Disheartened but unwilling to give in, she enrolled her daughter in a private school and paid the fees every month. Today her daughter is studying at university.

Because many children in her community face the same problem, Queen founded an association in Wuppertal, the “West Africa Health Fair and Queen Mother Charity.” It helps children with their homework and organizes activities. It also supports parents who do not speak German because of language barriers, and teaches reading and writing to those who never went to school. Her message is clear: as migrants, we should fight for our rights, because it is not easy for our children and the new generation.