It has been a year since the International Sauna Association launched Sauna Aid, and in this short time, we have achieved a great deal! Starting from scratch, we quickly built up a strong team from several countries that met regularly online. Collaboratively, we agreed on the name, logo, and created a website complete with a donation function.
Our social media outreach was successful, and we designed and implemented a trauma training program for bath attendants. We even hosted several bath sessions for Ukrainian displaced persons. Our team oversaw the creation of an industrial strength tent sauna, which we deployed to Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, and we delivered a ready-to-use container sauna to the Ukrainian border. We are also collaborating with a team in Kharkiv to help them establish a local sauna building capability of their own. Additionally, we reached out to humanitarian NGOs and received a letter of intent from the Norwegian chapter of Save the Children to explore collaboration between them and Sauna Aid.
We hosted several successful fundraising events in Europe and the US, including a major event in the heart of London, generating a lot of positive press.
On Saturday 11 March 2023 we are inviting private sauna owners all over the world to host a sauna party and collect donations for Sauna Aid. Public sauna/baths are also encouraged to contribute proceeds and/or direct donations from guests with Sauna Aid.
The success of Sauna Aid is truly a collaborative effort, and that’s what makes it so special. As an African saying goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Although we would have liked to achieve more and go faster, Sauna Aid is committed to the long run, and we know that we can only achieve our goals by working together.
Thank you all for your continued support
– Mikkel Aaland, on behalf of Sauna Aid
Achievements:
- Built a strong team from several countries that meets regularly online
- Agreed on the name, logo, and created a website complete with a donation function
- Designed and implemented a trauma training program for bath attendants
- Hosted several bath sessions for Ukrainian displaced persons
- Oversaw the creation of an industrial strength tent sauna, which was deployed to Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine
- Delivered a ready-to-use container sauna to the Ukrainian border
- Collaborated with a team in Kharkiv to help them establish a local sauna building capability of their own
- Received a letter of intent from the Norwegian chapter of Save the Children to explore collaboration
- Hosted several successful fundraising events in Europe and the US, including a major event in the heart of London
Goals:
- Continue to collaborate with other organizations and NGOs to expand the reach of Sauna Aid
- Encourage private and public sauna/baths to contribute proceeds and/or direct donations from guests to Sauna Aid
- Expand trauma training programs for bath attendants to other regions in need
- Build more sauna structures and deploy them to regions in need
- Establish local sauna building capabilities in other regions in need
- Increase the visibility of Sauna Aid through media outreach and awareness campaigns.