Mama Tenga

Courage, Humanity, and the Call of a New Life – told by the woman who became "Mama Tenga".



After a life-changing trip to West Africa, Katrin Rohde makes a radical decision: she sells all her possessions in Germany and emigrates to Burkina Faso. In the capital, Ouagadougou, she begins working with street children—boys fighting to survive amid poverty, drugs, and violence. What begins as a single act of compassion becomes a lifelong mission.



With courage, discipline, humor, and a deep belief in the power of education and community, Katrin Rohde builds a network of support over the years: orphanages, women's shelters, workshops, schools, counseling centers, and training programs—all rooted in the principle of helping people to help themselves. Her initiatives represent real empowerment, social justice, and hope for change.



Today, she is known across Burkina Faso as "Mama Tenga – Mother Fatherland." In this deeply personal and compelling memoir, Katrin Rohde tells her true story—an inspiring journey of female leadership, cross-cultural connection, and human resilience, rich with African wisdom and the courage to make a difference.