Quinoa Bildung

Quinoa Bildung gGmbH is a social enterprise based in Berlin, founded in 2013 by the PhD mathematician Fiona Brunk and the teacher Stefan Döring. The initiative arose from the shared experience of the founders as fellows of the non-profit educational initiative Teach First Deutschland and their work at a school in Berlin-Wedding[1][5].

The central project of Quinoa Bildung is the Quinoa School, a state-recognized private substitute school in the Berlin district of Gesundbrunnen, which opened in the summer of 2014. The school offers a variety of qualifications, including the vocational qualification, the vocational education readiness, the extended vocational education readiness, the intermediate school diploma, and the intermediate school diploma with eligibility for the upper secondary school. This enables students, despite socio-economic disadvantages, to develop their individual skills and talents and receive a solid education[1][2].

The main mission of Quinoa Bildung is to establish more equal opportunities in the German education landscape. The company aims to ensure that the future prospects of young people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds are not predetermined by their origin. The founders see their work as a metaphor for the gluten-free pseudocereal quinoa, which, according to the United Nations, has the potential to combat world hunger – similarly, the educational concepts of Quinoa Bildung aim to satisfy the social hunger for opportunities and education[1].

Quinoa Bildung is primarily funded through donations and support from foundations such as the Vodafone Foundation Germany. This financial independence allows the school to focus on the needs of the students without being hindered by financial constraints. The school has achieved impressive graduation rates in recent years, with a 100% graduation rate in the third graduating class[3].

The company is also known for its transparent and responsible work and has joined the initiative "Transparent Civil Society." Additionally, various awards such as the Roman Herzog Prize, the Deichmann Promotion Prize, and the German Employer Award have been granted, highlighting the quality and impact of Quinoa Bildung's work[1].

Current initiatives include the "Bauhütte" – a project where students and teachers work together on practical and creative tasks to promote teamwork and craftsmanship skills. Such projects help prepare students for their future challenges and expand their social and professional opportunities[4].

Overall, Quinoa Bildung gGmbH is a shining example of the implementation of equal opportunities in education and demonstrates that outstanding results can be achieved even in disadvantaged regions with innovative concepts and dedicated work.

• 1 - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa_(Bildung)
• 2 - https://table.media/bildung/analyse/bildungsgerechtigkeit-wie-die-quinoa-schule-alle-schueler-zu-einem-abschluss-fuehrt/
• 3 - https://www.quinoa-bildung.de/organisation/
• 4 - https://www.quinoa-bildung.de
• 5 - https://goodjobs.eu/company/quinoa-bildung