More than 20 years ago – in 1999 – Lufthanseats founded the association for all dedicated employees of the Lufthansa Group. In 2019 we celebrated our 20th anniversary. At TATCRAFT in Frankfurt, the entire Executive Board of the Lufthansa Group, together with colleagues from the very beginning, long-time leaders and current project managers, looked back on this unprecedented initiative with us. In the following you will find some impressions of our great birthday party!
20th anniversary help alliance
Carsten Spohr, CEO of Lufthansa Group
Vivian Spohr, help alliance Patroness
20th anniversary help alliance
20th anniversary help alliance
The project coordinators Susanne French (r.) and Christian Haude talk about their help alliance projects in South Africa
Blaise-Pascal d’Almeida (center), project coordinator of the help alliance project in Togo
20th anniversary help alliance
Project coordinator Monica Nowak gives information about her project in India
20th anniversary help alliance
Jürgen Weber, former CEO of Lufthansa Group, with his wife
20th anniversary help alliance
Carsten Spohr, CEO of Lufthansa Group, with his wife Vivian Spohr, help alliance patroness
Project coordinator Roy Heron (r.) at the 20th anniversary celebration
20th anniversary help alliance
20th anniversary help alliance
20th anniversary help alliance
A lot has happened since help alliance was founded. In a campaign for our 20th anniversary we looked back, into the present and forward – and gave you 20 really good reasons to support help alliance. Due to the positive feedback we have put together the campaign for you once again.*
Because we’ve already accomplished so much – and will accomplish even more with you.
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Because it comes from dedicated Lufthanseaten.
David Wolseley is one of the founding members of the help alliance. From the first days of the aid organization – and 35 kilograms of change in hand luggage.
David Wolseley has flown for 33 years and joined Lufthansa as a flight attendant in 1982. “The opportunities this job offers were and are unique,” says the 61-year-old. “You can get to know the world and get in touch with local people if you want. One experiences a lot that way – including extremes.
From the crew bus, countless people – including children – could often be seen working under terrible conditions on construction sites, balancing water canisters on their heads or camping on the roadside. “And from the hotel where we were housed as a crew, you looked down only to see suffering.” He had become aware of how privileged we are.
But he also experienced something else: how determined many of his colleagues were to help. For example, crew colleagues who took medicine and relief supplies to Ethiopia. “In the past, things were even easier. There weren’t as many hurdles and safety regulations as there are today. Just the possibility of taking ointments and liquid medicines with you for aid projects! Many colleagues helped very actively,” says Wolseley.
“I quickly understood how much poverty there is in the world, how much suffering” – David Wolseley, Founding member help alliance
Because more people are taking part every day.
Because it encourages exchange on equal grounds.
Because it adds up to a lot.
Because it can shape our lives.
Because we give everything for our projects.
Because it feels good.
Neglected children find a new home in the Safe House in Johannesburg. It’s a great source of happiness for the project managers.
Sie sind Waisen oder Halbwaisen. Sie wurden misshandelt, vernachlässigt oder verstoßen. Ihr Leben stand auf der Kippe. Doch sie haben ein neues Zuhause gefunden – im Safe House in Johannesburg.
Michaela „Mickey“ Lederer ist Purser auf der Langstrecke, stationiert in München. Sie ist 52 Jahre alt, fliegt seit 29 Jahren. Und führt, wie sie selbst sagt, ein sehr privilegiertes Leben. Dieses privilegierte Leben brachte sie 2003 durch Zufall in das Safe House in Johannesburg in Südafrika, einer Stadt, in deren armen Townships die Gewalt regiert. Wo Alkoholismus und Missbrauch an der Tagesordnung sind, wo oft schon die Kleinsten keine Chance haben.
„Viele Mütter setzen hier ihre Kinder aus“, sagt Lederer. „Nicht weil sie wollen – weiß Gott nicht. Sondern weil sie hoffen, dass ihre Kinder bei jemand anderem bessere Chancen auf ein besseres Leben haben.“ Mickey Lederer nimmt einige dieser Kinder auf – und versucht, ihnen einen besseren Start ins Leben zu ermöglichen. Gemeinsam mit Martina Reiser ist sie Projektleiterin des Safe House, eines Zuhauses für Halbwaisen und Waisen, das seit 2001 besteht und das seit 2010 von der help alliance gefördert wird.
15 Kinder und Jugendliche leben hier derzeit, haben ein sicheres Zuhause gefunden, fernab von Gewalt, Alkohol und Drogen. Sie gehen zur Schule oder studieren, werden aufs Leben vorbereitet und zu selbstbewussten Erwachsenen, die ihre Erfahrungen eines liebevollen Zuhauses mit in ihr Leben nehmen.
A life in Munich – and one in Johannesburg
And Lederer? She flies part-time, takes turns with her colleague and is in the safe house every two months. Lives with the children. Suffers with them. Laughs with them.
“We are companions for the children and teenagers,” she says. “We do homework with them and deal with the authorities. We are not their mothers, but we are a constant in their lives. We give them support.”
Of course, sometimes it can be difficult to take care of the project and the young people. And yet every single day is worth it. “Maybe I give a lot – but I get even more,” says Lederer. “I have seen the children grow up; I have accompanied them in their lives. And now I see how they have become self-confident, determined adults. How they take care of each other, stand up for each other and for themselves. All of it fills me with great joy.”
And indeed, it is psychologically proven that helping is beneficial. The body releases happiness hormones when we do something good for another person. Mickey Lederer puts it this way: “It’s great luck that I was in the right place at the right time and could get to know the Safe House. The relationship I was able to build with the children is irreplaceable.”
“I give a lot – but I get even more” – Michaela Lederer, Purser
Because it helps people to reach their potential.
Because your help has an impact.
Because it makes more projects possible.
Because it helps directly at the source.
Because we promote education worldwide.
Because Lufthansa Group employees can easily apply to receive support for projects they are passionate about.
Sonja Steinheuser was privately involved in a project in Frankfurt. Then she applied for funding from the help alliance – and was delighted at how easy it was.
Refugees and local residents who cook, eat, talk, exchange ideas. Getting in touch as equals. People who support the refugees in their search for a job, help them with applications and accompany them through the process. This is “Über dem Tellerrand” (which translates to “See the Bigger Picture”) in Frankfurt, a project the help alliance began supporting this year. Lufthansa purser Sonja Steinheuser has been the project manager ever since. However, she has been involved in the project for much longer.
“I’ve been volunteering for Über dem Tellerrand since 2016,” she says. “I was something of a jack of-all-trades there, setting up, cooking, supporting social media activities.” What was her motivation? Quite simply: “When people cook and eat together, they get closer, language barriers fall. The exchange is very authentic. I liked that right away.”
Download, fill in and send the application form – that’s it
Steinheuser’s commitment to the project became more involved over time. At the end of 2018, the project was looking to broaden its scope and secure financing. That’s when Steinheuser thought of the aid organization of the Lufthansa Group. I asked myself, “Why don’t I just ask the help alliance?”
Said, done. The first contact was quickly made via e-mail. Über dem Tellerrand was met with great interest, and a visit to the project followed quickly. “It’s definitely not rocket science,” says Steinheuser. “It’s really easy for anyone to download the project request from the Lufthansa intranet.”
Which projects are supported?
In principle, almost any project can be supported by the help alliance. Project requests may be submitted before two deadlines each year. Either by May 31st or by November 30th. However, there are a few requirements. For example, the applicant and future project manager must be an employee of the Lufthansa Group. In addition, the project should give priority to giving young people in particular access to education and enabling them to lead a self-determined life. In addition to the focus on education, the help alliance also promotes training and measures in the areas of work and income.
When filling out the project application, Steinheuser was able to count on the support and expertise of the full-time staff of Über dem Tellerrand. “So I didn’t have to acquire any explicit financial knowledge or the like,” she says.
It worked: Steinheuser has been project manager since 2019. She is the link between “Over the edge” and help alliance, accompanies events with flight attendants, and takes care of e-mail traffic. “Of course I have a bit more to do than before,” she says, “but I like doing it. After all, I want to support this project – and I’m glad the help alliance made it so easy for me.”
“It’s definetly not rocket science.” – Sonja Steinheuser, Purser
Because children need a school.
Because it is active everywhere – including in Germany.
Because our projects are sustainable.
Because it provides a sense of security.
Because we reach tens of thousands of people.
Because it is simple.
The help alliance thrives on the commitment of Lufthansa Group employees. However, that does not mean that everyone has to manage their own project in order to support the help alliance. Quite the opposite. We need the many people who believe in our idea and our work – and who support us financially.
The help alliance raised a total of 2,722,654 Euros in donations in 2018. Many thanks to all those who contributed! Are you interested in taking part? Gladly! It’s really easy.
Here you can find more information about our numerous donation possibilities.
*The facts and figures used in the campaign refer to the Annual Report 2018. For the latest news, please refer to the Annual Report 2019.
