Fülle die Lücke e.V.

Fill The Gap International

About us

Erika Ströer first entered a Ugandan prison in 2009 and she was only shown the representative rooms. But she visited the inmates regularly and through this consistency she was able to look behind the scenes. The non-profit organization Fülle die Lücke e.V./Fill The Gap International was founded on 28.02.2012 by Erika Ströer and like-minded people. We are a group of believing Christians who have come together in different ways, but all of us have one thing in common: we want to be the perpetrators of the Word of God!
As has already been mentioned, the situation in prisons or reception centres in a developing country cannot be compared in any way with that in Europe. There are no so-called social networks here, the conditions of detention or residence are very difficult, especially since many facilities are overcrowded. Often there is simply a lack of everyday necessities. Through financial support and sponsorships, these gaps can be filled together.
In Uganda, Fill The Gap Int. is also recognized as an international and non-profit organization (NGO).

Our Work
• We are active in several prisons over the country. We visit the inmates regular or – independent of the distance – occasionally to conduct projects. We encourage them especially with the word of God, through education offer and through material and medical support.
• Often the inmates, especially the women, cannot go back to their villages or their families after their release. Settling elsewhere is also not easy, because most of the women do not have any education and therefore do not know how to survive on their own.
• We offer for them practical courses like hairdressing, soap or candle making, creating crafts, bread and cake baking courses. For all- it means also for male inmates and youth – we offer peacemaking-courses, discipleship- and leadership-seminars, alpha course for beginners in Christian faith and workshops for forgiveness and reconciliation.
• Furthermore, we support any kind of education especially through providing scholastic material, covering of school fees and support in medical cases. Already around 100 male patients went under surgery by hernia and we could offer free dental treatment several times in all institutions under our care. We sponsor sport-activities, competitions and functions and we built already a church in prison.
• For the babies and children, we organize diapers, hygiene articles, clothes, toys, nutritive food and we celebrate their birthdays. In special cases we also take a child of a female inmate temporary under our foster care. The government supports us legally but not financially.

Activities:
• Prison Ministry: Prison Ministry is the heart of our organization. We take care of different institutions in Uganda, one of which is the maximum-security jail “Upper Prison” in Kampala. This also includes the condemned section
• Children Minestry: We look after children, who were abandon or who are not save at home through mistreatment and/or abuse. We also take care for children in prison
• Additional areas: We offer a service of encouragement through workshops and seminars with topics of forgiveness, leadership and others. In Uganda our focus is also on prevention and rehabilitation.

Erika Ströer is the Founder and Chairwoman of Fülle die Lücke e.V./ Fill The Gap International.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.