Per Mertesacker Stiftung

The **Per Mertesacker Foundation** was established in 2006 by the former professional footballer Per Mertesacker. The foundation aims to support socially disadvantaged children in the Hannover region through sports. The focus is on children from socially weaker backgrounds, with learning difficulties or migration backgrounds. In addition to football as a team sport, the children benefit from individual learning support and language lessons. The foundation’s projects are designed for the long term and accompany the children over a period of ten years. This creates a sustainable framework for the personal and social development of the children.

The Per Mertesacker Foundation is committed to the social integration of children in the Hanover region. Under the motto "First German, then Dribbling," the foundation supports children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, with learning difficulties or migration backgrounds. The goal is to provide children with a better starting position in life through sports, education, and integration. The foundation believes in the transformative power of sports and education and aims to offer children a platform to develop their skills and improve their opportunities.

The target group of the Per Mertesacker Foundation consists of socially disadvantaged children in the Hannover region. The focus of the support is particularly on children from socially weaker backgrounds, those with learning difficulties, or with a migration background. The foundation targets children and adolescents who are to be supported in their personal and social development through sports, especially football, as well as through individual learning support and language instruction. The foundation’s projects are designed to provide children with continuous support over a period of ten years in order to enable them to have better long-term opportunities in life.