Strong Joint Partners for Aid Projects

[HostDave]

-- The Stiftunglife foundation: donations totalling EUR 1.2 million in 2013
-- Nearly EUR 110,000 benefit emergency aid in the Philippines
-- Funding for social projects and environmental protection

Supported by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises since 2012, the non-profit making German foundation “Stiftunglife” recorded last year donations totalling EUR 1.2 million. Of that, more than EUR 110,000 was granted to emergency aid in the Philippines. The remaining sum goes to supporting “Swimming Doctors”, the “Antarctic Heritage Trust” and other projects.

“The variety and need for the projects they are implementing strengthens our resolve to continue to promote our successful co-operation with such a distinguished partner as Stiftunglife. I am absolutely delighted by the tremendous support received from our guests and employees,” said Karl J. Pojer, Chief Executive of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. The traditional auctioning of nautical charts at the end of each cruise, plus donations from guests, raised almost EUR 450,000. Ninety percent of the total funds given for emergency aid to the Philippines came from donations made by employees and guests of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

“Within ten days after the typhoon, we were able to provide emergency financial aid for affected Filipino families. We then visited the families of crew members, made notes of the damage and provided further financial support. We are using the remaining sum to rebuild a school,” says Jürgen Gessner, who founded Stiftunglife in 1989.

The co-operation between Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and the non-profit making organisation Stiftunglife concentrates on three areas: “Protecting the Environment”, “Helping Helpers” and “Promoting Young People”. All proceeds go in their entirety to the benefit of Stiftunglife projects. Since the foundation’s administrative costs are borne privately, 100 percent of all donations flow directly into the project work. All of the foundation’s incomings and outgoings are fully transparent, with accounts published on the internet. Donations to Stiftunglife are used to support projects such as “Swimming Doctors”, which make it possible to provide regular medical care, in particular for pregnant women and children, in the hard-to-reach Myanmar delta. From spring 2014 an additional, new (swimming doctors) ship will guarantee transport for medics and therefore guarantees medical treatment for the inhabitants in the delta. The “Antarctic Heritage Trust” has set itself the goal of conserving the unique natural heritage of the Antarctic and is supported in its work by Stiftunglife and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.