Fighting loneliness: Lisa Paus about new community initiatives in Berlin

Fighting loneliness: Lisa Paus about new community initiatives in Berlin

Federal Minister of Family Lisa Paus is committed to loneliness In a current interview with RBB 88.8, Federal Minister of Family Affairs Lisa Paus speaks about the widespread problem of loneliness and her own decision to actively act against this social challenge. With a moving personal story, it emphasizes the importance of the topic and shows how individual measures can contribute to strengthening the community.

Lisa Paus has experienced the effects of loneliness up close. In 2013, her partner died of cancer, which forced her to take care of her little son alone. This difficult phase of life led her to the establishment of a shared apartment for single parents - a decision that not only influenced her own life, but also that of the other residents. This community not only offers a social point of contact, but also promotes exchange and support with each other. Paus emphasizes that contact with women from the shared apartment still exists, which shows how sustainable such initiatives can be.

A central concern of Paus is to change the social perception of loneliness. It pleads to get this topic out of the taboo zone to prevent affected people from getting into a "downward spiral". According to the latest surveys, every tenth person in Germany feels loneliness, which is alarming and signals action.

The health risks associated with loneliness should not be underestimated. According to the World Health Organization WHO, loneliness is as harmful as obesity, smoking or air pollution. This knowledge underlines the urgency of promoting social structures, bringing people together and creating community.

In order to implement this approach in practice, RBB 88.8 stages the "Together is better - RBB 88.8 connects", which runs until September 21st. It emphasizes that lonely people often do not know how they can make new contacts - this project offers a creative space for this by creating opportunities to get to know each other and for common activity, such as a joint shipping.

The commitment of Paus and the initiatives such as those of RBB 88.8 are important steps to put the topic of loneliness into public focus and help those affected to overcome the feeling of isolation. Through the provision of accessible offers and community support, society can grow together and free itself from loneliness.

The experiences of Lisa Paus and the existing programs to combat loneliness could be a valuable example for other cities and municipalities that have to cope with similar challenges.