Solidarity finds a home at the School

Otto is a little elf who loves to collaborate with the community and, after traveling the world, chose Deutsche Schule Medellín as his home. This is how the Solidarity Program is introduced to the youngest students of the School. Otto was created by the Solidarity Committee, composed of mothers and fathers of students and alumni. "It's the way we found to create a connection with the students, so they could see and understand the Solidarity Program as something tangible," explains Leticia Jaramillo, who is part of the Committee. Otto's House is located just below the Wishing Tree, one of the central pillars of the School's Solidarity Program. Each year, it receives hundreds of wishes from nearby educational institutions, and it becomes a DSM family's responsibility to fulfill them.

However, the Solidarity Program encompasses much more, and that's precisely what Otto's House symbolizes. "We wanted the Program to have much more visibility," explains Claudia Restrepo, Vice Principal. "With this new headquarters, the Solidarity Program will have much more weight. This place will serve us for meetings and activities throughout the year, not only with Otto but also with other components of our solidarity project," she adds. For example, the Solidarity Bazaar is planned to take place there, an event where the Educational Community demonstrates its collaborative spirit once more.

This new space, strategically located in the center of the Campus, will allow students to experience solidarity much more in their daily lives. Leticia Jaramillo emphasizes that solidarity must be more than just a program, a character, or a place; "it must be an attitude that is lived every day in all aspects of life." However, Otto's House will be a symbolic place that helps us better understand this fundamental value for the future of society. "I feel that, as families, we are very fortunate to be part of a school where solidarity is taught from a young age. We cannot stand still; we have to take daily actions to help those who need it most," says Leticia.

Otto is an elf who was born in a forest in Germany. When he was very young, he discovered that his mission was to help people, as he realized that there were many children in the world who could not make their wishes and dreams come true. After convincing the Sovereign Elf to let him travel the world, Otto left his home with the mission of telling stories and helping people. When he arrived in Medellín, he found a school where the value of solidarity is just as important as it is to him, and he decided to stay there. That school is Deutsche Schule Medellín. Otto used to live in the trees and mushrooms, but one day, he decided to build his house permanently. Otto will share his house with DSM so that all Solidarity Program activities can take place there. Do you want to know more about Otto? Scan the QR code, and he will tell you much more about his story and mission in this world.