East German Savings Banks Association: “Big Emma” New life in the countryside.
A declining regional population drives out retail stores and other services, particularly in the countryside. Especially for older local people, everyday activities such as visiting a doctor or going to the bank is becoming increasingly difficult.
Within the scope of its “Big Emma” pilot project, the East German Savings Banks Association (OSV) has joined forces with Savings Banks, municipalities and local businesses to establish rural service stations, to prevent villages from disappearing altogether. In a jointly-rented property, multiple service providers – such as hairdressers, postal and package-delivery providers, health insurance or mobile care providers offer their services on specific days of the week. A Savings Bank is always involved in such projects, providing organisational and financial support. Communities bundle still-existing offers within small municipalities in these mini-centres, which then evolve into the very core of the village – and a meeting place for residents. The first “Big Emma” was opened in Zabeltitz, Saxony, in cooperation with Sparkasse Meissen. The plan is to establish this system in other regions, too.
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