Like every year: instead of a Black Friday discount war, we're donating a portion of our sales to a social project. This year it's jotdrop, the first mobile shower for homeless people in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The project impresses us with its practicality and simplicity, while simultaneously having a large and versatile impact. Making hygiene possible promotes so much more. Check out jotdrop below!

rikiki donated 10% of the sales from online shop purchases on Black Friday, November 29, 2024, to the jotdrop project.
Even now, you can still add a small donation to every order at checkout if you wish, which we will pass on to jotdrop.
Join in!

Imagine you don't shower today. You don't shower tomorrow either. And the day after tomorrow it stays the same. Last time? It's been a while. Well-being? Privacy? Meticulous hygiene? The dignity that all that entails? None of this can be taken for granted anymore. This is what life looks like for many homeless and houseless people.

External neglect often leads to exclusion: rejection, distant, averted glances. But a well-groomed appearance can help you regain your self-efficacy. It opens doors: you can approach people again, accept help, and perhaps even find the courage to see a doctor or counseling center.

This is where jotdrop comes into play – the first mobile shower for the homeless in NRW.
And it offers much more than just warm water:

Care and hygiene: A nurse treats wounds and changes bandages. Assistants provide clean showers and assist with dressing and undressing, or with getting in and out of the car, if required.

Counseling and support: Anyone who wants to can receive psychosocial counseling in the mobile counseling room – completely confidential. The accompanying vehicle provides digital support for applications (e.g., for social benefits), coordinates doctor and government appointments, and smooths the path to accessing the assistance system. In terms of these bundled support services, jotdrop is even unique nationwide.

The project manager Lars Kollender:
"The shower guests emerge from the cubicle virtually transformed. Their appearance is obviously different, of course. But the biggest difference is when you look at their sometimes beaming faces. Then you know that all the effort was worth it."

The jotdrop project in key points:

Low-threshold and barrier-free: No one is turned away. The mobile shower comes to where people are. A ramp also allows wheelchair access.

Dramatic increase in need: The number of homeless people in Düsseldorf is growing rapidly. According to the latest report from the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs, 4,525 people were homeless as of June 30, 2023—an increase of 24% compared to 3,650 in 2022.

Dedicated team: During operating hours, two social workers, a nurse, and a support worker are always on duty.

Locations and times: Since September 2024, the jotdrop mobile has been in operation five days a week for four hours each day. Currently, two fixed locations are served, and a regular schedule is being developed based on demand.

The mobile shower itself: A trailer with one shower is currently in use. The experiences gained will be incorporated into the further development of the project – along with feedback from users. The goal is to expand the offering to include additional shower spaces.

This requires support: donations for pure life support.
If you would like to donate directly to the project, please click → here

Photo credit: © blutsbrueder creative agency