This Is Us

Sandy Lorenz came to Bögöz in 2002 and immediately felt a deep connection to the region. The breathtaking beauty of Transylvania and the warmth of the people fascinated her, and it didn’t take long before Bögöz became her second home. In 2014, she decided to combine her love for basketball and her passion for the place. She founded Basketball Leben to offer the children in Bögöz the same opportunities she herself had experienced in life. As the chairwoman of the association, the well-being of the children is especially close to her heart.

Katalina Farkas, who has been regularly traveling to Bögöz since 2014, knows the importance of sports and good infrastructure from her own experience. She wants to give the children there the same opportunities she had as a teenager – to play sports anytime and without obstacles, supported by a dedicated community. Today, she is pleased to see that for the children of Bögöz, it has become a matter of course to pursue their favorite sport after school. Katalina is the vice chairwoman of Basketball Leben e.V.

Miriam Storch, who has been enthusiastic about the project from the very beginning, is particularly touched by the shining eyes of the children when they first met the kids from Munich. In recent years, she has gotten to know the region and its people and wants to do everything she can to offer the children there perspectives – perspectives that are taken for granted by many here in Germany, but often seem out of reach for the children in Bögöz. Miriam is a board member of Basketball Leben e.V.

Éva András is from Bögöz and has had a close connection to her hometown from the very beginning. When she and her friend Sandy were considering how to use her father’s legacy in 2014, the idea of building a basketball court became the turning point. She knew that sports was a way to give the children in Bögöz a new perspective. When she saw the change and progress in the first training sessions, she knew she was on the right path. Her ancestors, who had a strong sense of community in Bögöz, inspired her to continue on this path.

Johannes Leonhardt first came to Bögöz in the 1990s and, together with the organization “Ein Haus für morgen,” was involved in the construction of family homes where children who grew up without their biological parents could grow up in large families. One of these houses still stands in Bögöz and is now home to children who are part of the “VALYOUNITY” project. Johannes remains an important supporter of the project and works to ensure these children have a better future.

Nadine Samy first visited Bögöz in 2020, and the place, the people, and the project immediately captured her heart. During the annual summer camp, she had the opportunity to experience the week and recognized even then the positive impact and change the project was bringing to the local community. Since then, it was clear to her that she wanted to become part of the team and actively contribute to the change. Basketball and the sense of teamwork have been of great importance to her since childhood. It brings her great joy to pass on these values. Year after year, she is amazed by the lasting changes the project can make in the Bögöz community and the surrounding villages and towns.

Lea Horsthemke first came to Bögöz as a teenager in 2014 and was immediately captivated by the region and its people. Her wish to return one day came true. During her second visit, she was quickly convinced of the project’s idea and has since been an active supporter of Basketball Leben e.V. She wants to give the children there the opportunity to experience what was taken for granted in her own youth: leisure activities, community, and a chance for more.