Lunch at l'Arche

L'Arche pursues a simple principle: the cohabitation of disabled and non-disabled people. It is not about a residence with rotating caretakers or accompanied living, the caretakers live and work around the clock with the mentally disabled adults. Some of the core members, as they are called, need more care, others less. However, it is the goal for all of them to increase their independence and to find ways and means that they can at least partly determine their own lives. In the morning, the core members work in various workshops, such as candle casting, leatherwork, paper and cardboard work, as well as in a small bakery and in the kitchen, which prepares the joint lunch. All products are offered for sale in a shop, to locals and tourists. At the end of the week, everyone gets a small wage to their free disposal. Some put everything aside so that they can give their families something for Christmas. Others buy perfume or finally a garment that they finally can choose for themselves. All things that were previously denied them.

After the lunch there is a little siesta, followed by various activities, such as gymnastics with dancing, "home economics" (= How do I go shopping on the market, how do I go to a restaurant?) All this is meant to enable some of them to find a small job outside L'Arche and thereby working towards the main goal of the organization: show that the disabled can be well integrated if the community accepts them as they are and gives them a chance.