Credit Suisse contributes to a Habitat housing project for people with a disability in Romania
Bucharest/Bratislava (September, 2013) – Credit Suisse employees from Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Great Britain and Greece travel to Romania to volunteer at a house construction for people with disabilities. The team of 20 will work for three days in the village of Novaci, outside of Romania’s capital.
It is the second group Credit Suisse sends to volunteer at the site. This time, the volunteers will work on the final construction stages – interiors and roof edges. The project is of particular interest to the company, “since accessibility is a big theme for Credit Suisse Corporate Citizenship, it will be very interesting for us and our volunteers! We are looking forward to working on this remarkable construction site,” says Martin Koblet, Credit Suisse Corporate Citizenship Switzerland.
Habitat for Humanity started to build Casa Mihail, in Romania, in English Mihail’s house, in March 2013. Once completed, it will become a model for simple, decent and fully accessible house for people with severe physical and mental disabilities. It will be a home to 6 people. At the moment, all of them live in poor conditions in a state-run institution. The new house will help to take them out of the institution and provide social services and community activities.
In Romania, around 18,000 people with disabilities are institutionalized and live in bad conditions. Through this project, Habitat for Humanity wants to integrate these people back into communities. The project is developed in partnership with three local non-profit organizations. The house construction will finish in autumn 2013.
Credit Suisse is a committed partner of Habitat for Humanity. The company support housing projects financially and through volunteer engagement. Since 2009, more than 2,000 employees have volunteered over 23,000 hours in 30 locations around the globe for Habitat for Humanity - helping to build homes for low-income families.
Credit Suisse AG
Credit Suisse AG is one of the world’s leading financial services providers and is part of the Credit Suisse group of companies (referred to here as ‘Credit Suisse’). As an integrated bank, Credit Suisse is able to offer clients its expertise in the areas of private banking, investment banking and asset management from a single source. Credit Suisse provides specialist advisory services, comprehensive solutions and innovative products to companies, institutional clients and high net worth private clients worldwide, and also to retail clients in Switzerland. Credit Suisse is headquartered in Zurich and operates in over 50 countries worldwide. The group employs approximately 46,900 people. The registered shares (CSGN) of Credit Suisse’s parent company, Credit Suisse Group AG, are listed in Switzerland and, in the form of American Depositary Shares (CS), in New York. Further information about Credit Suisse can be found at www.credit-suisse.com.
About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity International’s vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Anchored by the conviction that safe and affordable housing provides a critical foundation for breaking the cycle of poverty, Habitat has helped more than 3 million people construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes since 1976. Habitat also advocates for fair and just housing policies and provides training and access to resources to help more families improve their shelter conditions. As a nonprofit Christian housing organization, Habitat works in more than 70 countries and welcomes people of all races, religions and nationalities to partner in its mission. To get more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitateurope.org.