“Sitting at home – that’s where depression comes in”

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It rang high when it was delivered. Someone towed a car full of used goods. Armando De Sousa Barros (53) warmly welcomes the donor and helps unload the vehicle. All sorts of things are in between, including Logitech’s used brand speakers. “We are confident that they will be well received by customers,” says De Sousa. She has been working for Brocki Caritas Wohnen in the city of Lucerne for two years.

De Sousa is employed by Caritas Lucerne as part of a work integration program mediated by the welfare office. “I need a daily structure. My psychologist and I decided this was the ideal place for me,” explains Blick.

Its biggest goal: to reintegrate into the normal job market at some point. “You really have to step on the gas there, I can’t do that yet,” De Sousa says. It currently comes out once or twice a month.

divorce and depression

De Sousa lost his chauffeur job five years ago. He drove his truck all over Switzerland for 18 years. Then he divorced his wife. The result was depression and had to be hospitalized for treatment.

That’s why De Sousa, as she always says, is so grateful to be able to work at Brocki. “Sitting at home all day and doing nothing is not the solution. Then come the depressions,” says De Sousa.

Now she leads a normal life again. At Brocki he works 70 percent and is still in psychological care. His four children, aged 12 to 21, live with his ex-wife but visit him on the weekends. De Sousa says she loves being with them.

He also appreciates interacting with the people at Brocki. “I love talking to customers. I’m always on the go,” says De Sousa. You can see from the native Portuguese that he enjoys his job.

Clothing, electronics and much more

After De Sousa has unloaded the goods, he must sort them. He puts all clothes in one bag, electronics in one box, and other donations in another. In front of the delivery there is also a collection container where people can throw their donations. Caritas Lucerne also offers evacuations.

After sorting the goods, they go to the warehouse in the Littau district of Lucerne. “That’s our main subject. The goods are checked, the clothes washed. Then a piece comes back and we sell it here in the shop,” explains Lukas Aebersold (30). Head of services and business trainer at Brocki, like De Sousa, he supports his clients’ development through business.

The team at Caritas Wohnen looks different almost every week, mostly because people from RAV who stay for four months at a time are deployed. “We have many changes. Mr. De Sousa is therefore a valued member. He knows how it works,” says Aebersold. De Sousa shows newcomers the tasks and takes responsibility.

Unsolicited Donations

Brocki is closed during lunch time. Employees take breaks, eat and have fun together. When the doors open again at half past one, there is a pile of cardboard boxes with all kinds of junk in front of the door. “People put things down like that. You don’t really do that,” says De Sousa with a wink – and gets to work.

Brocki can’t resell everything – and it’s well known that selling things costs money. De Sousa goes over them with the donors as he picks up the goods. And sometimes he rejects something. “Many don’t understand that we’re just a perfectly normal Brocki. They still think it’s good for poor people,” says Aebersold.

Brockis’ doors are open to everyone. That’s why furniture, crockery, fabrics, clothes and much more are also available at very different prices. People with a Caritas market card get an additional 30 percent discount on Brocki.

Blick is currently seeing an unusual number of wedding dresses. “These were donated to us in large sums by a bridal shop,” explains Aebersold. Caritas Luzern also buys the remaining stock at low prices.

Sometimes De Sousa also makes trips by car. “I then distribute internal mail between various Caritas Lucerne locations,” De Sousa says. Brocki, it’s kind of like the charity’s internal courier service.

He finishes his work at half past five in the evening. “I feel pretty good here. There’s something to do all day.” Because what De Sousa needs most is a daily structure. And it finds it here in the business integration of Caritas.

Source :Blick