A longstanding humanitarian advocate, Dr. h.c. Ute-Henriette Ohoven initially focused her activities on cancer research and treatment for children in her native Germany. She has been working for almost 30 years to sustainably improve living conditions, education and women empowerment for the poorest of the poor. In 1992 she received her designation as UNESCO Special Ambassador.

She has been working tirelessly to mobilize attention, support and resources and today, she counts on 485 programmes in nearly 100 countries worldwide. In 2002 and in support of her programme Education for Children in Need she established a German based Foundation (formerly Foundation for UNESCO – since 2015 YOU Foundation).

Supporting the 2030-Educational-Agenda to reach global education, she focuses on access, inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all. Her aim is to improve the standard of living in the poorest regions in Africa, Asia or South-America.

Her current project “La Baraka” in Senegal, Dakar is considered an example project for the whole world. A slum will be transformed into a modern autonomous city district, not only with solid new houses and with infrastructure, but focuses lie on quality and inclusive education, innovative vocational training, start-ups an empowerment programmes. It´s intention is to ensure that present and future generations have sustainable access to basic needs for a humane and dignified life. This visionary project will encourage the people of Baraka and many slum populations to help themselves.

A further main worldwide programme for the years 2015-2019 is called: 100 Years ZF – 100 Schools; from Sierra Leone, Bangladesh to the Philippines: 100x Education and 100x Mobility. It´s based on three pillars: construction and implementation of 30 new low-cost-private-schools; quality improvement for quality education in 70 schools worldwide and 100x Mobility, bicycle programmes for 100 schools in Zambia and South Africa.

Another important programme, called WE Water Project, in cooperation with the „China National Working Committee for UNESCO Projects in Education for Sustainable Development“ has been installed as a pilot programme in China. A programme for children and youngsters for the responsible and sustainable use of water and measure to prevent water scarcity. In 2015 more than 100.000 students benefitted from the programme.

Promoting and realising worldwide programmes that focus and support inclusive & equitable quality education & lifelong learning for all, are the main goals of UNESCO Special Ambassador Dr. Ute-Henriette Ohoven to actively contribute to the 2030 Educational Agenda.