By Theresa Aengenheyster | Project Leader
The official opening of the Johanniter "Handwerkerdorf"
(Handicraft village) in Dernau took place on July 19th, 2022. The
container village offers accommodation for craftsmen and companies
from all over Germany who want to help with the reconstruction in
the Ahr Valley.
Overnight accommodation for craftsmen created
There is a lack of craftsmen for the reconstruction in the Ahr valley.
Plasterers, tilers, painters, etc. are desperately wanted. Many local
craft businesses are among the flood victims themselves and/or are
fully booked for months.
In order to avoid this dilemma, one of our alliance organizations, the
Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe e.V. Regionalverband Mittelrhein decided to go
beyond the pure mediation of craftsmen to create quick, simple and
inexpensive accommodation - and thus to bring craftsmen from all over
Germany to the Ahr Valley.
"We found that many companies from outside would like to help and lend
a hand, but up to now there was simply a lack of suitable accommodation.
With our craftsmen's village, we want to remedy the situation," says
regional director Christian Görg. Now one is able to bundle the needs on
site and to bring them together with the offers of the craft businesses.
Occupancy already at 77 percent
The planning and construction of the container facility, which the
Johanniter operate together with "Zukunft Mittelahr AöR", the Dernau
- Rech - Mayschoß reconstruction and project development company, lasted
from March to May 2022.
The project is financed by donations. The craft village currently has 26 living
and sleeping containers with double beds and offers a total of 52 beds.
In addition, there are several sanitary containers, a container with washing
machines and tumble dryers and other accommodation containers. The room prices
vary depending on the length of stay and container occupancy (1 or 2 people)
between 20 and 50 euros per night and person. The rental runs directly through
the Johanniter office in Dernau.
Income from rentals goes towards reconstruction
The first workshops have been using the facility since mid-June. At
the beginning of July, the utilization was 77 percent (as of July 7,
2022: 20 of 26 containers are occupied).
"The system has already been very well received," says Christian
Görg. Depending on the workload in the coming weeks, an expansion with
additional containers is planned. "100 percent of the rental income
goes to "Zukunft Mittelahr AöR" and thus goes directly into the
reconstruction of the Ahr Valley," he emphasizes.
Goal: Sustainable energy supply for Mittelahr
Martin Schell, CEO of Zukunft Mittelahr AöR, adds: "With the local heating
supply for the three communities of Dernau, Rech and Mayschoß, a first
lighthouse project has already been named, which can be jointly promoted with
income from the craftsmen's village, among other things."
The goal: to get a future-proof and sustainable energy supply for the Middle
Ages off the ground as quickly as possible.
Commitment of the Johanniter honored
At the official opening, at which Christian Görg and Martin Schell as well
as Alfred Sebastian, Mayor of Dernau, spoke a word of welcome, the importance
of the craft village for the region was emphasized. The plant is "another
important milestone" for the region, emphasized the mayor in his welcoming
speech. At the same time, he acknowledged the great commitment of the Johanniter
on site and praised the good cooperation.
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