Hansgrohe SE is committed

to the disaster relief in Haiti

The devastating earthquake, which shook Haiti in January 2010, caused hundreds of thousands of deaths. The scale of the catastrophe and the suffering of the Haitian people shocked the entire world. Including the staff of Hansgrohe. With unprecedented readiness to help, 400 employees donated hours from their flexitime and holiday account, which were converted into the equivalent hourly wages.

Not long after the ground in Port-au-Prince shook on 12 January, Hansgrohe's Executive Board and Works Council decided on immediate action and launched appeals for donations. The outcome surprised everyone: a total 221,000 euros were collected, which the Executive Board boosted up to 250,000 euros.

The Black Forest bathroom specialists donated 60 percent of this amount to the Wolfach Haiti aid organisation "Pwojè men kontre". The organisation works exclusively with volunteers; all money goes straight into the projects.

The donation was put towards a shelter for the injured and a transitional school for child refugees

The Hansgrohe donation was used by the Wolfach organisation to help earthquake refugees right on the spot. Thus, more than 16,000 people from the epicentre of Port au Prince were able to be evacuated and brought to Beaumont 150 kilometres away. The organisation has been running an orphanage and a school there for a long time, which fortunately were not damaged.

The aid organisation used the money donated to build a reception centre for the injured and open a school for child refugees. It employed eight teachers, also refugees, who currently teach 180 pupils. In order to make learning accessible to even more children in future, Pwojè men kontre has purchased another property. The building, which is in need of repair work, will be a home for students.

Chairwoman of the organisation, Dr. Anke Brügmann, from Wolfach, is modest about her work in Haiti: "The Haitians asked me to construct something. When you see how enormous the need is, you just get on and do it." She points out that Haiti still depends heavily on our aid.

Get involved in the work in Haiti

Find out more about this non-profit association and ways to donate for Haiti on the website of Pwojè men kontre.