“Everyone can contribute according to their talent”

Interview with Christina Ruckhaber

Christina Ruckhaber, works as Project Manager Maintenance Programs at Lufthansa Technik and is privately involved with help alliance as a friend of help alliance. In our conversation she explained what she likes about help alliance and how she supports help alliance.

What do you do at Lufthansa Technik?

I am Project Manager Maintenance Programs for the A330, Q400 and ATR 72. In short, I develop maintenance programs for a specific aircraft type and am responsible for them. I not only look after Lufthansa aircraft but also external customers and develop a customized maintenance program for each aircraft. The requirements here are very different due to the route network, authority requirements and customer needs. So I am the focal point between authorities, customers and the departments that carry out the maintenance work.

How did you join help alliance?

Through my former boss. I always wanted to be socially involved. I have also tried to do that in my private life. In some advertisement – I don’t even know where anymore, maybe on a plane – I discovered help alliance. At that time I was still very new at Lufthansa Technik and asked my former boss for help. He showed me the eBase (note: Intranet) page. I called the office and was invited to the FoH (Friends of help alliance) meeting. But I didn’t go there immediately because I didn’t find the time. Eventually I managed to come by. That was five years ago now. I enjoyed the meeting very much. I noticed that it is the right platform for me. The diversity and the different projects are something special. Everyone can contribute according to their talent.

What do you like about help alliance?

The commitment of the individual members and project coordinators, the diversity and the many projects where children are supported. I am a mother myself and know how fortunate my child is and how bad other children in the world are. Since project coordinators also report from their projects at the meetings, one quickly gets an overview of the projects and first-hand information – it is much more personal than at many large organizations. It also makes direct access to the projects much easier and more personal.

How do you support help alliance?

Among other things I designed Christmas cards which were distributed to flight attendants as a thank you. We also sold the cards at friendly shops. Every year I help out at the Christmas market at LHT, bake cakes and helped to organize the anniversary celebration 1 ½ years ago. I also support sales campaigns. Two or three times I was at the help alliance day in Munich. And of course I am also a supporting member of help alliance.

What were the best experiences you have had with help alliance so far?

The best was definitely the visit to Pattaya together with my son. My son could see how different children grow up. The children all came directly to him without shyness and took him to play immediately.
I got to know many people at help alliance, very individual characters, with many of them I am also friends in private.
It is also always fascinating to meet the project coordinators. For many project coordinators their project is their whole life. They give everything so that others are happy. That is not a farce. They are people who put their heart and soul into their work. Real role models who fight and struggle. I was able to meet so many people of true greatness who are committed without expecting anything in return. This is an enrichment for life.

Do you have any final words?

A child’s smile is priceless and the greatest thing in the world. I could see that when I visited the project. No matter how bad you are, there are always people who are worse off and anyone can help…