Lasting commitment to "People for People"

The Hauser family's long-standing commitment to Karlheinz Böhm's Ethiopian aid work is bearing fruit. In 2011, the Hauser family travelled to Ethiopia to see the work of "People for People" for themselves.

The occasion was the official opening of the Gille Wedessa Lower Primary School. The old, derelict school had barely the most basic equipment. Now the new school, established according to a tried-and-tested model, was being officially opened. The school was financed by donor campaigns organised by the Hauser family and by the sale of the hotel's own spring water. Now it gives over 600 children the opportunity to study in a pleasant, clean environment. After all, education is the key to development and the future – especially in one of the poorest countries in the world like Ethiopia, where 40% of the children do not have the chance to go to school. The visitors from Tyrol were greeted exuberantly by the children at the Lower Primary School. The visitors had also prepared a small surprise for this festive occasion and played some genuine Tyrolean folk music to spread a little glow of alpine happiness in the Ethiopian uplands.

During their trip, the Hauser family also attended the opening of a well, where the Stanglwirt host, Balthasar Hauser, tested the quality of the water for himself. Access to clean drinking water has a positive effect on all aspects of life: people become ill less often and child mortality in particular is reduced, while agricultural yields are improved thanks to irrigation. Women and children benefit particularly from having a water source close to the village, because, when they no longer have to walk such long distances to supply their families with water, they can spend that time attending school or continuing education courses.

Water was also where the Hauser family's commitment began and it funded the well which they opened on their trip. Stanglwirt host Balthasar Hauser wanted to make his guests aware of the high value of spring water and so he elevated this essential liquid from an everyday commodity to a gourmet item. The spring water from the hotel's own "Kaiser spring" began to be served in specially made carafes and a "biblical tithe" of the income – a carafe of Kaiserwasser costs 2 euros – was donated to Karlheinz Böhm's Ethiopian aid project. Water is therefore not only the foundation of life, but also the basis for the family's partnership with "People for People". In the years that followed, the Hauser family, together with their business partners, friends and visitors, organised countless events and fund-raising campaigns in aid of projects in Ethiopia. Thanks to this collaboration, sufficient donations were raised to build not only the school but also a total of eight wells in Ethiopia.

The Hauser family is deeply grateful to all the guests, friends and business partners who have played an active part in the "Wilder Kaiser School" project and who, by drinking our "Kaiserwasser", have made an important contribution to our charitable work every day!