help alliance, the aid organization of the Lufthansa Group, celebrates 20th birthday

The help alliance celebrates its 20th anniversary today. The globally active aid organization was founded in September 1999 as an association of employees from various areas of the Lufthansa Group. In the meantime it forms the central pillar of the Group’s activities in the area of social responsibility and stands for professional, sustainable help for self-help for disadvantaged people, especially young people worldwide.

To date, the help alliance has collected 17 million euros in donations, which have been used for 50 projects in Africa, 55 in Asia, around 25 in South America and 20 in Europe. The special feature: even today, the projects are proposed for support by Lufthansa Group employees and are also supervised by them on an honorary basis. Since 1999, 80 Lufthansa Group employees have volunteered as project managers. They regularly check on site to make sure that 100 percent of the donations go to the projects. This is in line with the guiding principle of the help alliance, which focuses on employee commitment.  

"The help alliance is a success story. Originating among of the workforce, it has been helping for 20 years where help is most urgently needed. Through the personal and voluntary commitment of Lufthansa Group employees and our other supporters, we have been able to offer children and young people a perspective. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks," says Vivian Spohr, patroness of the help alliance.

All initiatives focus on education, work and income and thus contribute to the United Nations' global sustainability goals of "Quality Education" and "Decent Work and Economic growth". In the future, the Lufthansa Group would also like to offer its employees corporate volunteering in help alliance projects. Here, employees should use their individual skills to work for the benefit of the project.

The construction of the iThemba primary school in the Capricorn township near Cape Town in South Africa is the help alliance's largest project to date with an investment volume of more than one million euros. Since its opening in January 2018, 105 children can be taught in three classes. As soon as the construction has been completed, 700 disadvantaged girls and boys will receive high-quality education and thus a perspective for a better future.

In 2019, the help alliance also significantly expanded its social commitment in Germany with new project cooperations. In Frankfurt, for example, help alliance is supporting a job buddy programme designed to help fugitives to enter the German job market. In addition, a subsidiary was established in the region “The Americas”.

Under the motto "Closer to the world. Closer to its people.” The help alliance, together with the employees of the Lufthansa Group, will continue to work for disadvantaged people around the globe. You will find good reasons to get involved in the work of the help alliance here: www.lufthansagroup.com/20-years-help-alliance.

About the help alliance

The help alliance is the aid organization of the Lufthansa Group and their employees, and forms the central pillar of the Group’s activities in the area of social responsibility. As an internationally active company and member of the German and international community, the Lufthansa Group takes on responsibility beyond its regular business activities in dealing with the challenges currently facing society.

Founded in 1999 by a group of 13 Lufthansa employees, this non-profit making private limited company is currently overseeing 50 projects worldwide, which aim in particular to provide access to education for young people and to enable them to live a self-determined life. As well as the main area of focus, education, the organization also promotes entrepreneurship. Over the past few years, the help alliance has given support to around 140 projects. The content of the projects is in all cases in line with the strict standards of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN’s sustainable goals for 2030. The projects are financed exclusively by donations. For more information at please visit www.helpalliance.org.