Kindermissionswerk ‚Die Sternsinger’

What Kindermissionswerk ‚Die Sternsinger’ does

Kindermissionswerk 'Die Sternsinger' is a Catholic children's aid nonprofit (eingetragener Verein) founded in 1846 in Aachen, Germany, and today employing approximately 52 staff at its Stephanstraße headquarters. Its core operation is the Aktion Dreikönigssingen—the world's largest children's solidarity action—in which around 300,000 children and youth across 27 German dioceses visit households from December 27 through the third Friday of January as the Three Kings, blessing homes with chalked C+M+B inscriptions and collecting donations. The organization is co-run with the Bund der Deutschen Katholischen Jugend (BDKJ) since 1961. In 2025 the campaign collected EUR 48.06 million, and in 2024 EUR 35.94 million was available for project support, funding 778 projects in 79 countries spanning Africa, Latin America, Asia, Oceania, and Eastern Europe.

The revenue model is donation-driven and comprises four streams: (i) Aktion Dreikönigssingen gross collections (the primary stream, with all parish-collected donations transferred to Kindermissionswerk per Episcopalian Order), (ii) general and corporate donations plus monthly patron programs (Pate werden), (iii) foundation and legacy giving through the Sternsinger-Stiftung and testamentary donations, and (iv) merchandise sales through shop.sternsinger.de. Free cashless collection infrastructure is supplied via SumUp card readers at EUR 46.41 per device. Educational and engagement products include classroom materials for grades 1-13, the Sternsinger-Magazin, the 'Willi in Bangladesch' film, the 'Sternsingen: so geht's!' video series, the Sternsinger-Podcast, and the Actionbound gamified learning game, plus the Sternsingermobil touring exhibition.

The technology stack is intentionally lean and outsourced: Typo3 CMS website, twingle GmbH for online donation processing (Germany-hosted), SumUp for card payments, AWS for hosting the Logo-Generator and Digitaler Sternsingerbesuch video service (via Idiomoo), Sendinblue/Brevo for email, Google Analytics/Microsoft Clarity/Omniconvert for analytics, and Wigwam GmbH for web development. Data is processed under the Kirchliche Datenschutzgesetz (KDG) and GDPR, with external DPO oversight by UIMC and banking via Pax-Bank. The organization holds the DZI Spendensiegel, is signatory to Transparency International's Initiative Transparente Zivilgesellschaft, and is recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage (Immaterielles Kulturerbe).

Name

Kindermissionswerk ‚Die Sternsinger’

Legal name

Kindermissionswerk 'Die Sternsinger' e.V.

Website

https://sternsinger.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1846

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kindermissionswerk 'Die Sternsinger' is a Catholic children's nonprofit (founded 1846, Aachen) running the Aktion Dreikönigssingen, the world's largest children's solidarity action, funding 778 projects in 79 countries through donations gathered annually by ~300,000 child participants across 27 German dioceses in partnership with BDKJ.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Charity and International Development Aid

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Religious Organizations (8131), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Education in Emergencies (EiE) & Safe Schools (BPADAKAJ), Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)

Keywords

• Children charity fundraising
• International development aid
• Catholic social services
• Youth ministry programs
• Donation collection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Aachen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations from Aktion Dreikönigssingen: Primary revenue stream. Children collect donations door-to-door as Sternsinger. In 2025, 48,060,189.51 EUR was collected. All donations from parishes must be transferred to the Kindermissionswerk per the Episcopalian Order.
2. General Donations and Sponsorship: Individual donations, corporate donations (Unternehmensspenden), memorial donations (Anlassspenden), and interest contributions (Zinsen den Kindern). Monthly giving/patron programs (Pate werden).
3. Foundation and Legacy Giving: Sternsinger-Stiftung (endowment), testamentary donations (Testamentspende), and legacy giving programs.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of Sternsinger materials including crowns, chalk, collection boxes, bags, books, and magazines through the online shop (shop.sternsinger.de).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Kindermissionswerk 'Die Sternsinger' is a Catholic children's charity registered as an eingetragener Verein (e.V.) that organizes and coordinates the Aktion Dreikönigssingen, an annual door-to-door campaign in which children dress as the Three Kings to collect donations for international children's aid projects. The organization funds educational, health, and development projects for children in countries of the Global South and produces accompanying school and parish educational materials.

Product overview

Kindermissionswerk 'Die Sternsinger' operates the Aktion Dreikönigssingen as its core product—a charitable campaign where children dressed as the Three Kings collect donations for children in need worldwide. The organization offers an integrated portfolio of educational products including classroom materials ( Unterrichtsmaterial ) for schools on topics like child labor and climate change, children's magazines ( Sternsinger-Magazine ), educational videos including the 'Willi in Bangladesch' film and the 'Sternsingen: so geht's!' video series, the Sternsinger-Podcast, interactive Actionbound educational games, and the mobile Sternsingermobil exhibition. Physical products include the Sternsinger-Entdeckerkiste (discovery box) and campaign accessories. Digital services comprise online donation processing, the Logo-Generator tool, and Digitaler Sternsingerbesuch video service. All offerings support the annual campaign's educational mission of teaching children about global solidarity and children's rights.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aktion Dreikönigssingen (Three Kings Campaign)
• International Children's Aid Project Funding
• School and Parish Educational Materials

Quantifiable outcome

• 48,060,189.51 EUR raised in 2025 campaign, supporting 778 projects in 79 countries
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bund der Deutschen Katholischen Jugend (BDKJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Aktion Dreikönigssingen since 1961. BDKJ is the umbrella organization of 17 Catholic youth associations with 660,000 nationwide members. Provides organizational infrastructure and youth participation. Current Bundesvorstand includes Lena Bloemacher, Daniela Hottenbacher, Gregor Podschun, and Stefan Ottersbach (Bundespräses).
• twingle GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing the online donation form platform. Hosted on servers in Germany. Contract for order processing (AVV) ensures GDPR compliance. Data processed includes name, address, bank details for donation processing.
• SumUpcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides cashless payment solutions for Sternsinger groups. Offers discounted 'Solo' card readers (46.41 EUR for Sternsinger groups vs 94 EUR regular). Enables tap-to-pay functionality via smartphone. Transaction fee of 1% when used with Kindermissionswerk account.
• Sendinblue GmbH (Brevo)coreTechnology or IntegrationExternal service provider for newsletter distribution. Processes newsletter subscriptions and sends information about products, services, events, and organizational news on behalf of Kindermissionswerk.
• UIMC Dr. Voßbein GmbH & Co KGcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExternal data protection officer (Datenschutzbeauftragter) service. Contact: Dr. Jörn Voßbein, Otto-Hausmann-Ring 113, 42115 Wuppertal. Provides expert compliance with GDPR and KDG requirements.
• 27 German DiocesescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEach of the 27 German dioceses (Erz-/Bistümer) organizes Sternsinger activities within their territory. Diocesan coordinators help parishes participate and provide local support.
• Wigwam GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDigital agency responsible for website development, design, programming, and support. Located at Prinzenallee 74, 13357 Berlin. Slogan: 'Wigwam macht Webentwicklung. Aber nur für das Gute.'

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bund der Deutschen Katholischen Jugend (BDKJ): BDKJ is the direct co-organizer of the Aktion Dreikönigssingen alongside Kindermissionswerk since 1961. Both organizations are Catholic youth-focused umbrella bodies that mobilize Germany's 660,000 Catholic youth association members — direct operational peers in the Catholic youth/charity space.
• World Vision Deutschland: World Vision Germany is a national chapter of a global child sponsorship organization. Comparable in mission (children's welfare, education, development), sponsorship/patron program model, and international project funding — though World Vision's global brand and scale is substantially larger.
• Welthungerhilfe: Welthungerhilfe is one of Germany's largest private aid organizations, funding international development projects. Direct comparable in mission (development aid), funding model (donations), and operational scale (€300M+ annual revenue) — though not religiously affiliated.
• Misereor: Misereor is the German Catholic bishops' development charity and a direct peer — both are Catholic Church-affiliated fundraising organizations funding international development projects, with German donor bases and episcopal endorsement. Direct overlap in fundraising channels, project portfolio, and donor demographics.
• Plan International Deutschland: Plan International Germany is a national chapter of a global children's rights and girls' equality organization. Directly comparable in funding model (sponsor/patron programs), mission (children's rights, education, protection), and German donor-base dynamics.
• Brot für die Welt: Brot für die Welt is the German Protestant development and relief service, structurally a near-twin of Kindermissionswerk on the Protestant side. Both are Christian-affiliated, German-rooted, internationally active development charities with similar fundraising structures (annual campaigns, parish networks).
• SOS-Kinderdörfer (SOS Children's Villages): SOS-Kinderdörfer is a German-based international children's charity supporting vulnerable children and families worldwide. Comparable in mission (children's aid), donor model (sponsorship programs), and project funding structure across multiple countries.
• Save the Children Deutschland: Save the Children Germany is the German national chapter of the global children's charity — direct comparable in mission (children's aid, education, rights), donor acquisition model, and project funding focus. Both mobilize German donors for international children's projects.

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Deutschland: Caritas is the largest German Catholic welfare organization with a much broader service portfolio (elder care, family services, social welfare) — a broader incumbent operating in the same Catholic umbrella, with significant overlap in donor base and parish network even though scale and scope differ.
• UNICEF Germany: UNICEF Germany is a major national committee of a global children's rights organization. Direct comparable in mission (children's welfare, education, health, rights) and donor base (German households), though it operates at significantly larger scale and as part of a UN agency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sternsinger_de
• YouTubeyoutube.com/sternsingervideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/sternsinger
• Instagraminstagram.com/sternsinger
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sternsinger

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kindermissionswerk ‚Die Sternsinger’