June 1st, 2011 @Salzburg, Austria---Munich, Germany
Fine rain welcomed me in Munich, Germany, where the street magazine BISS has been sold. It was given birth in 1993 by thirty social-workers and volunteers. The first 10,000 copies sold like pancakes and 50,000 more got reprinted. Currently BISS publishes 37,000 copies monthly in this beautiful town with 1.5 million people.
100 vendors are consisted of 26 percent of 40-49 years old, 42 percent of 50-59 years old, and 21 percent of 60-75 years old. The sellers below 39 years old are just 11 percent.
The reason why is that BISS introduces youngsters to job skill training. One of them is called Dynamo. In this social enterprise, long-time unemployed people can learn how to be a bike mechanic.
Witnessing 11 people were earnestly polishing parts of bikes there, when I visited. Those bikes used to be trash, however, bike-mechanic-to-be make them into treasure here. One of the participant, Petra Haug is going to get a certificate in the end of this year. “I really enjoy working here. Time flies when I’m working on bikes,” she smiled. “My dream is to be independent as a mechanic, and eventually design a wheelchair for my best friend.”
The director of the organization, Karin Lohr said “We need contacts with society, income and self-esteem in order to get long-time unemployed people included in the society. Witnessing blooming peoples’ potential is such a great joy to me!”