Rebuilding homes and restoring hope

As part of the corporate volunteering program "Volunteers at Heart" and in collaboration with the non-profit organization Habitat for Humanity, 30 Henkel employees joined two volunteering trips to renovate and build homes for refugees and families in need. 

From project trip participant to project trip leader

The volunteering trips were led by Holger Endres, Engineer PD Packaging Coatings Adhesive Technologies at Henkel. Previously, he had already taken part in three trips to build houses for people in need and each time returned with a large portion of valuable memories and new skills. When “Volunteers at Heart,” a program in which Henkel employees support an NGO for a month, was looking for a project trip leader for Habitat for Humanity, Holger knew immediately that he wanted to apply: "I had already participated in previous trips, so I knew what was important and could imagine myself looking after our Henkel volunteering groups as the trips’ project leader. We always must keep in mind: We are doing well, but how can we help others with small deeds? For me, it is very rewarding to actively get involved. When I help out, I can see the results directly."

After his successful application, Holger went to Habitat in Cologne to complete a construction site manager training. He learned a lot about group structures, construction work and project organization. But every large project needs a team, which is why Henkel selected 29 colleagues on a random selection process to accompany Holger on the volunteering trips. The participants formed two groups which were made up of both experienced construction experts and newcomers – but they all had one thing in common: a high level of motivation to volunteer and actively support refugees and families in need. Once the groups had been put together, it was time for them to get to work – one team traveled to Warsaw, Poland and the other to Iași, Romania. 

From old to new in Poland

Painting walls, building fences, and installing outside flooring while the hustle and bustle of Poland’s capital is buzzing in the background: During their trip to Warsaw, the volunteers renovated two houses that were in desperate need of repairs. Both buildings are owned by the foundation Humanosh and have been serving as an accommodation for refugees. While working hand in hand at the building site, each volunteer was encouraged to learn new skills such as plastering, painting, and wallpapering and put their craftmanship to the test. Among the volunteers was Kamila Artykova, Junior Manager CMI Beauty Care EU at Henkel. Although she had no previous experience on a building site, she was eager to get to work: "I started with simple renovation work and gradually grew more confident to tackle more difficult tasks. Anyone can get involved on the volunteering trip and make a difference – regardless of previous experience."

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From the ground up in Romania

No two volunteering trips are the same: In Romania, Holger and his team’s main goal was to create more living space. For the new homes, they built wooden frameworks to serve as the houses’ structure. This also involved many individual tasks: From processing the material to mixing, hauling, and finally hammering, the wide range of craft activities ensured that every volunteer could lend a helping hand and contribute to making the families’ dream of a new home a reality.

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Achieving great results together

As the houses became studier with each passing day on the volunteering trips, the teams also grew closer together. During their time in Poland and Romania, the participants not only gained valuable insights into repair and construction work, but also learned how to work together as teams of different experience levels – a quality that’s just as important on a building site as it is in the office. After all, every successful group project is based on the foundation of good teamwork. On the volunteering trips, this was even true in the literal sense: The houses were equally built on stone as they were on the teams’ mission that brought them all together and made the renovation and building work possible: Their commitment to help people in need, create prospects and restore hope for a better tomorrow.

Contributing to social equality

In collaboration with the NGO Habitat for Humanity, Volunteers at Heart builds homes for families in need, including families from Ukraine. Since 2012, Henkel and the “Fritz Henkel Stiftung” foundation have been supporting the NGO, which is active in 70 countries to create affordable housing. The company provides support not only through financial donations and the supply of building materials, but also through employees’ active involvement on site during the so-called “Baureisen” ("building trips"). In recent years, Henkel employees have supported many of such social projects around the world, for example in Romania, North Macedonia, and the USA.