The best 15,000 DKK Lübech Living has ever spent

08 April 2025 | Lübech Living

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An Investment in People

In 2025, Lübech Living celebrates the 15-year anniversary of our women’s project in Sri Lanka. To mark the occasion, we decided to surprise the women involved with a special celebration day. It became an unforgettable experience for the 74 participants and for Susanne Lübech, owner of Lübech Living.

The concept was simple: it should be a day where the women could just enjoy—with no expectations or tasks. A typical day for these women begins with preparing a warm breakfast for the family, going to work, and returning home to cook and take care of the household again. Many of them come from extremely difficult backgrounds, often struggling with serious issues at home, including alcoholism and, unfortunately, domestic violence. So giving them a day filled with care, joy, and laughter was a heartfelt wish from all of us at Lübech Living. We’ve always made it a priority to show our deep respect and ensure they feel seen and valued.

We sent 15,000 DKK to one of the women leading the project and asked her to organize a day exactly as they would dream of. It turned into a surprise trip by bus to a stunning nature resort two hours outside Colombo. There, a day filled with fun competitions, relaxation in the so-called "natural pools," singing, and dancing awaited them. Everyone received a brand new t-shirt in the morning for the competitions, and later in the day, they dressed in their finest clothes. We had bought speakers and a karaoke set that brought out the singing and dancing—just the way they love it. The day was filled with delicious food, drinks, laughter, joy, and warmth.

Balloons, hula hoops, and a rope

The day was a clear example of how simple things can create immense joy for those who don’t have much—and how full it can be of compassion and friendship. The nature reserve had prepared fun games and contests for the ladies. For three hours, there was laughter and happiness thanks to balloons, three hula hoops, and a rope. Young and old participated enthusiastically despite the blazing sun. What struck Susanne most was the energy, joy, sense of community, and support the women showed each other—especially towards the elderly who had trouble keeping up. The tables turned on the party bus ride home, where music blasted, and the younger women danced for the entire two-hour trip. Everyone was simply happy and grateful.

One small moment on the way home left a deep impression:
“When we stopped to buy drinks, I expected them to return with 74 sodas. Instead, they came back with a 1.5-liter bottle of water and two sodas. They passed the bottles around, and everyone took a sip as if it were the most natural thing in the world. In contrast, I would’ve instinctively bought 74 sodas and probably some snacks to make sure everyone had enough. That moment reminded me of how often we tie joy to abundance in our part of the world.”

A Memory for Life and Food for Thought

These women have never experienced a day like this—and may never again. That’s why, beyond being a joyful experience for them, it was also deeply meaningful for Lübech Living to be able to give them a day of pampering and show them just how much they mean to us.

“Even though the day was filled with laughter and bonding, it also brought us closer and gave us a deeper understanding of each individual,” Susanne Lübech shares. “One woman from an extremely poor family quietly withdrew a few times, almost as if she couldn’t absorb all the joy at once. Another woman—whom we’ve known all 15 years—danced for a long time with her eyes closed, face lifted toward the sky, shoulders relaxed... her entire body radiated pure relief. It was priceless.”

Many of the women have been part of OOhh’s recycled paper project for the full 15 years, and the relationship between them and Lübech Living is built on mutual respect and strong collaboration. Whenever Susanne visits Sri Lanka, she always makes time to walk among the women, greet them, show interest in their work—and of course, there's a tradition of treating them to waffle ice cream before heading back to Denmark. Being on equal footing with those who craft the products is not standard practice when buyers visit production sites around the world—but for Lübech Living, it’s simply part of who we are and an essential part of our ESG values.

Even though we’ve always felt close to one another, the celebration became the moment when Susanne Lübech went from “Madam Lübech” to “Madam Susanne,” which, to her, was a symbol of even deeper connection and trust. At Lübech Living, the opportunity to work with these women is incredibly important. We are in this project together—and without them, there would be no products. Just as without us, they wouldn’t have the security of a certified, safe, and stable workplace.

An Investment in People

At Lübech Living, we have always been driven by sustainability and social responsibility. When we invest in a day like this, it’s to show the women our gratitude and help them feel truly appreciated. Susanne also had the chance to give a speech to the women, expressing our admiration for their loyalty, strength, and collaboration. She told them how proud we are of them—and how they should be proud of themselves too. Our OOhh women’s project in Sri Lanka is living proof of how positive change can truly transform lives.

“Imagine what just 15,000 DKK can do for so many people. For Lübech Living, it was some of the best money we’ve ever spent,” Susanne Lübech concludes.