Stëmm vun der Strooss (SVDS), a Luxembourgish charity which aids the homeless and people in need, organised two summer trips for its beneficiaries and employees on 13 August 2015, at which a total 155 people were in attendance.

One group, comprised of 92 people from the City centre who eat in the association's social canteen in Hollerich and work at the Stëmm Caddy workshop preparing food, went on a bus trip to ride rollercoasters at Belgium's Walibi amusement park in Wavre.

The excursion benefitted from a €5,000 donation from Dudelange Rotary Club, of which five members came to introduce themselves and wave off the SVDS group, who were able to relax in the sunshine and enjoy a packed lunch and ice cream on their trip.

"Even if just for a few hours, the stresses and strains of life were forgotten for that time and we felt like we were on a holiday," enthused Momo, an employee at the Stëmm Caddy workshop who joined the excursion. Colleague Catia was equally taken by the trip, saying "It was very well organised, the social workers did a great job, the atmosphere was relaxed and everyone behaved well. I'm already looking forward to the next outing together."

"It was the first time that I have participated in an excursion and the first time that I met Stëmm's clients," continued Emira, another employee from the workshop, who explained "We work in Bonnevoie and so don't have much contact with the people for whom we prepare food. It was good to go on such a trip with them and to spend time with co-workers outside of work."

A second trip was also organised to France on the same day for an additional 63 people who eat at the Esch-sur-Alzette branch of SVDS and work at the Schweesdreps. The Schweesdreps is a workshop where 280 different sports teams bring their uniforms to be washed, sorted and redistributed weekly. The second group headed to the Sainte Croix Animal Park in Rhodes, France, to visit the morethan 1,500 animal which roam there in a semi-wild habitat. The Animal Park , covering a space of over 120 hectares, gave the visitors the opportunity to experience the preservation of European wildlife and global biodiversity.

Both park outings offered a valuable escape for both employees and clients of SVDS and an outlet to transcend daily problems. A relaxed and friendly atmosphere was emphasised during the trip, and 16 children of associated parents were able to also enjoy one of the parks.

Director of Stëmm vun der Strooss, Alexandra Oxacelay, stressed the significance of organising such trips, explaining: "These kind of excursion are very important for disadvantaged people because they help increase morale and provide people with the opportunity to relax and enjoy a moment together in a very different setting! There is only fun to be had in an amusement park and for us to be able to offer such a trip over the summer is fantastic."

The trips followed another recent initiative from Stëmm vun der Strooss to collect 32 boxes of hairstyling products and create a volunteer hairdressing service for those who would be otherwise unable to receive hair treatments.

The next outing for members of the association will take place on Wednesday 26 August 2015, where the new Schueberfouer restaurant Le Kessel will be offering free meals to up to 80 people. This outing represents a tradition for the association that has been running for four consecutive years now, whereby now owner of Le Kessel Jérôme Bigard offers meals free of charge for those in need.


Photos by SVDS