Local initiatives that matter: Elisabeth

2025 saw the launch of the first “Building Tomorrow Together” call for projects by BIL, with the aim of supporting local initiatives that reflect the Bank’s values and have a tangible impact within Luxembourg.

In this report, we meet Yolande Coop’s assistant manager, Christiane Schong, and Caroline Theves, Communications Officer at Elisabeth.

Yolande Coop: part of the Elisabeth Handicap group

The Elisabeth Group, which has been operating in Luxembourg for over 350 years, is a social organisation that provides day-to-day support to people in need: children, young people, senior citizens and people with disabilities.

Yolande Coop is part of the Elisabeth Handicap group. Its mission is to provide a working environment suited to people with intellectual disabilities. It runs eight workplace inclusion workshops in Betzdorf, Grevenmacher and Mondorf-les-Bains.

Among these workshops is the Evergreen workshop, which was set up in 2020. It offers gardening work, such as maintaining the outdoor areas at the Betzdorf site and planting flowers, as well as market gardening activities, including growing and harvesting vegetables in accordance with the principles of permaculture.

The flowers and vegetables from Yolande Coop are then sold at the Betzdorf site.

At the Evergreen workshop, the Coop’s latest venture, we have been looking for work for people who are not suited to working in enclosed spaces. These are people who need space and a bit of freedom. We try to train them as market gardeners or gardeners, to help them progress.

(Christiane Schong)

Financial support from BIL

BIL’s support has enabled the purchase and fitting out of an air-conditioned container, accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the sale of vegetables and other produce grown and harvested by Yolande Coop.

“Private donations play a very important role in funding more people-centred projects, more innovative projects and, above all, the new initiatives we wish to launch to help those in need”

(Caroline Theves)

The financial support provided to local players is part of BIL’s general sponsorship policy, which aims to support initiatives with a meaningful impact on Luxembourg society. BIL’s commitments in the fields of education, entrepreneurship, culture and sport are testament to the bank’s desire to play its part in driving the country’s dynamic spirit.

Elisabeth, a long-established social organisation with a rich legacy in the social sector, has been working on behalf of the people of Luxembourg for over 350 years.

Find out more about Elisabeth at www.elisabeth.lu

  

Are you developing a project?

If your organisation is developing a project that aligns with one of our themes and could benefit from our support, we invite you to submit your application online. This will allow you to receive our next call for projects and be added to our distribution list.