I n April this year, 15 Siemens employees traveled to Kirima, Kenya, to carry out life-changing improvements to a local primary school. With participants hailing from offices and factories around the world — from Germany, the US, Mexico, and Brazil to India and China — this year’s program was focused on improving sanitary conditions for the school’s 420 pupils. This meant building a block of flushing toilets and a septic holding tank.

In addition, the team wanted to ensure the children could enjoy their playtime by upgrading the sporting facilities available to them. Previously, classes would go outside to play soccer — shooting goals between two wooden poles set up at each end of the field. Having raised €15,000 the participants were able to purchase raw materials and engage a local welder to build full-size goals, a volleyball net, and netball posts.

The end of the program was marked with a handover ceremony in which the children performed traditional dances and the volunteer team donated clothes, toys, and games, as well as 30 jerseys from Siemens partner and German team FC Bayern München.

The Siemens Corporate Finance Audit department has run a corporate social responsibility project for the past seven years. Each year, 15 volunteers come together to support areas in need. Since the project launched, multiple villages in Africa, Asia, and, South America have seen significant infrastructure improvements, such as access to fresh water, sanitary facilities, and school classrooms.