Odette Krempin
| File:Odette-Krempin.jpg | |
| Birth Name | Princess Odette Maniema |
|---|---|
| Known as | Odette Maniema Krempin |
| Born | 30.October 1976 |
| Birthplace | Maniema (DR Congo) |
| Occupations | Fashion Designer,Diplomat, Social entrepreneur |
| Awards | Diplôme d’honneur Ciseaux d'Or (Golden Scissors) |
Princess Odette Maniema Krempin is an African fashion Designer. She was born to the royal family of Maniema Nilemba Boniface Mulopwe in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Member of Luba Kingdom which was founded by King Kongolo Mukuru Maniema XVIe century.
She is a high-profile fashion designer, certainly among Africa’s most famous. Celebrated by international media pundits[1], she is at the crest of a promising new wave of African fashion designers.[2]
In 2003, she created the Southern African Fashion Festival in Namibia,under the patronage of the First Lady of Namibia Kovambo Nujoma[3]. This event was a chance for African designers to come together with international Designers. Since that time this event is being going on every 2 years. Princess Odette has promoted humanitarian causes throughout the world, and is noted for her work with Vulnerable Children. In 2009 she has been cited in numerous African Magazine as one of the Africa's most beautiful women.
Humanitarian work
Since 1997, Princess Odette Maniema Krempin has been involved in charity work mainly focused on the children and people of Africa. She has always believed education to be the doorway to freedom and the opportunity for a brighter future. She is deeply committed to promoting education, working with the charity organizations Aids Orphans Education Trust and African Children Education Foundation to further this aim.
In 2007, Princess Odette announced the founding of the Deutsch-Afrikanische Jugendwerk (The African-German Youth Foundation), an organization that supports the education and Integration of African children in Germany and provides free legal-aid to asylum – seeking asylum children and youth with no legal representation which Princess Odette personally funded with a donation of 200,000 Euro for its first two years.
Princess Odette also pushed for several bills to aid refugees and vulnerable children in the DR Congo. Princess Odette is renowned for her philanthropic work. She has pushed for education reform, fighting for better school facilities in DR Congo. She is also an enthusiastic supporter of the Micro credit movement in Africa which provides financial assistance to poor entrepreneurs. In 2008, she was elected to the Board of Directors of the International Rotary club in Frankfurt.
“We cannot close ourselves off to information and ignore the fact that millions of people are out there suffering. I honestly want to help. I don't believe I feel differently from other people. I think we all want justice and equality, a chance for a life with meaning. All of us would like to believe that if we were in a bad situation someone would help us.”by Odette
Recognition
Princess Odette Maniema Krempin has received wide recognition for her humanitarian work. On January 25, 2006, the Minister of Culture of the Democratic Republic of the Congo awarded a Diplôme d’honneur to Princess Maniema Krempin in recognition of her charity work and efforts in promoting the culture of the DRC abroad. She also won Africa’s most coveted fashion award, the Ciseaux d'Or (Golden Scissors), in 1998 in Yaoundé Cameroon.
Allegations by Frontal21
A report from 8. December 2009 by German news-magazine Frontal21 made the following claims[4]:
- The National Controller for Charities, Burkhard Wilke, confirmed that Mrs Krempin's Society for German/African Youth Relations (Deutsch Afrikanisches Jugendwerk, DAJW) has not been registered as a charity, and that she must have known that charities are required to obtain this signet.
- At a charity event, Odette Krempin presented a car Audi Q5 from Audi as a entire donation specifically for the "Society for German/African Youth Relations". Audi has sent written confirmation, that this was not true. All she received was a discount on the grounds of the car being used for the charity. AUDI highlighted the intention to not deal with this organisation again. Odette Krempin also used the signet of the football club Schalke 04 for making advert, but the football club confirmed to have no relations with her charity at all. Burkhard Wikle said that using famous brands for own advertisment is a popular trick for scammers to appear genuine.
- The written invitations for the charity event contained the announcement of an opening speech from the major Petra Roth, who canceled her appearance long time prior to the event.
- According to the report, the charity claims on their website to have taken responsibility for a hospital in Kamituga (Kongo), which the hospital actually does not know anything about, nor have they ever received any donations fom her. As the reporters found out, the organisation Cap Anamur administers the hospital, and not the DAJW. Bernd Göken from Cap Anamur stated to have forbidden DAJW to collect donations in the name of the hospital Kamituga many weeks ago already. Jean-Claude Kibala, Vice Gouverneur of south Kivu, confirmed what Cap Anamur stated. The DAJW has deleted their statement, to administer the hospital Kamituga, from their website afterwards.
- According to the report, UNESCO is investigating currently whether Krempin uses her titel, to be representative of their organisation, for fraudulent reasons.