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How do I get a donation receipt?

For donations under €300, tax offices usually accept a bank statement as proof. You also received a donation receipt with your confirmation email. You can request it again here by email. Be sure to use the same email address you used for your donation.

What is the 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar?

The 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar is a unique way to support a wide range of social and environmental projects worldwide. For example, one calendar door might protect 150 m² of Amazon rainforest in Brazil, provide a meal for a child in Nepal, or partially fund a holiday trip for a child in need in Germany. Your donation amount is flexible, starting at €1. Important! You donate this amount per project, meaning per calendar door. Starting from €24, you will receive the 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar as a thank you gift so you can see which specific projects you’re supporting.

How can I get or gift the calendar?

Via our donation form you can donate to the 24 projects at any time. As a thank you and to show you which aid projects you are supporting, we’ll send you the sustainable Advent calendar starting in October. Of course, you can also send the 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar as a gift to family, friends, or acquaintances. We’ll include a greeting card where you can write your personal Advent message. Prefer a digital version? No problem! Starting December 1st, we’ll send you the Advent calendar as a digital version via email, including the daily door and background info on the project. Here you can order the Advent calendar.

Is my donation tax-deductible?

Yes, your donation is tax-deductible. 24guteTaten e.V. is officially recognized as a non-profit organization by the Düsseldorf-South tax office. For donations under €300, tax offices generally accept a bank statement as proof. This is because they treat it as direct evidence of the transaction. You will receive a donation receipt by email shortly after making your donation.

Do 100 percent of the donations go to the projects?

75 percent of the donations collected through the Advent calendar go to charitable purposes, 25 percent to administration and marketing. After covering nonprofit expenses of 24guteTaten e.V., the remaining amount is evenly distributed among the 24 calendar projects.

How is it ensured that my donation arrives?

We take the monitoring of donation use very seriously. Each organization signs a contract that defines the implementation of the good deed. Additionally, aid organizations must document their project progress through detailed reports, receipts, and photos. Our organization is also committed to transparency . That’s why we report annually on our activities and disclose how we use our funds.

How can I apply with a project for a calendar door?

The projects featured in the 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar are selected anew each year. Applications usually open on December 6th of the previous year. Want to be notified when the next application round opens? Then sign up here for our NGO newsletter or submit your application directly. You'll also find everything you need to know about the application process there.

How can I learn more about the projects in the Advent calendar?

You’ll find detailed background info on each of the current projects daily from December 1st to 24th on our website. All previous projects are available in our calendar archive. Also, sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

How are the projects for the Advent calendar selected?

Each year, nonprofit organizations can apply for a calendar door. The selected projects must meet strict criteria. Our goal is to support particularly sustainable, impactful, and transparent projects. You can find details about our selection process here

Who is behind the 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar?

The 24 GOOD DEEDS Advent Calendar is an initiative by the nonprofit organization 24guteTaten e.V., founded in 2011. The organization is based in Düsseldorf.

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Tag 13

An ophthalmic examination for a schoolchild in Mozambique

Small eyes, big future

Early detection of vision problems in schools

When Senhor Manuel enters the classroom, he not only looks at the notebooks and chalk, but also at his students' eyes. Since his training, he knows how important it is to recognize early signs of vision problems. "I used to think that if a child was restless in class or wasn't taking notes, it was due to a lack of concentration," he says. "Now I know: Sometimes they simply can't see the board."
A few months ago, he noticed that a student was constantly squinting and reading very slowly. Thanks to the program, he was able to immediately schedule the boy for an eye exam – right at the school. A doctor came, examined him thoroughly, and prescribed glasses. "Since then," Manuel says with a smile, "he participates much more often and reads fluently. It's as if he's discovered a new world."

Journalist and television presenter Yve Fehring introduces you to her favorite project

Need

Ophthalmological examination of schoolchildren in Mozambique

Activity

Local NGOs are training teachers so they can conduct simple vision tests

Measurable output

Number of eye examinations on schoolchildren

Result

Improved eye health leads to better school performance in children and an increase in the number of school-leaving qualifications

System-relevant impact

Children from rural areas have better future prospects and contribute to important, positive social development.

Background

What might be a sudden turning point for some children is, unfortunately, not a given in Mozambique. There are only 38 ophthalmologists in the entire country – almost all of them in the capital, according to the local Ministry of Health. By comparison, Germany, with roughly twice the population, has more than 8,000 (German Medical Association 2025). For many families in rural Mozambique, this means that even simple eye exams, let alone glasses, remain out of reach.
Children feel the effects immediately in their daily lives. Those who can't read the blackboard miss assignments, are less confident, fall behind, and are at higher risk of dropping out of school. Yet many vision problems could be easily treated or even completely prevented.
To close this gap, LIGHT FOR THE WORLD launched the ten-year program "Little Eyes, Big Future" in 2020. It brings eye care to where the children are: to the schools. Teachers are trained to conduct simple tests, doctors examine children on-site, and children receive glasses or a referral to the hospital if more is needed.
Thus, a brief examination becomes a crucial step towards the future: because good vision means not only health, but also better opportunities for education, employment, and an independent life. And in the long term, the initiative strengthens entire communities – because children who can learn, learn, and thrive.

Six provinces in Mozambique: Maputo City, Maputo Province, Sofala, Zambezia, Niassa, and Cabo Delgado.

The good deed

Teachers play a vital role in the early detection of vision problems in children. As part of the school program, they are trained to administer simple vision tests using special charts. During these tests, children read letters or symbols from a distance. Teachers also observe signs such as frequent eye rubbing or difficulty reading. Children with abnormal results are thoroughly examined by ophthalmologists right at the school. If necessary, the children receive glasses or are referred to the hospital for further treatment. In this way, today's good deed ensures that schoolchildren in Mozambique have reliable access to qualified eye care.

Mozambique

Maputo

Capital city

34.631.766

Population

As of 2024

786.380

Land area in km²

2.3 times the size of Germany

Portuguese

Official language(s)

As of 2025

Off the coast of Mozambique in the Indian Ocean lie the Bazaruto Islands – like a desert in the sea: golden sand dunes, turquoise water and rare animals such as dolphins, sea turtles and dugongs.

About the organization and further information