In the early 2000’s, two Bangladeshi men come to speak to the owning family of Hesburger in Finland. Their intention was to start a Hesburger restaurant in Dhaka. This meeting sparked a connection, although it did not lead to a restaurant contract.
A couple of years later, Kari Salmela, the current CEO of Hesburger, visited the same men in Dhaka in order to take a look at a potential restaurant location. During this visit, Kari Salmela was shocked by the conditions in the slum.
“If God exists, he is certainly not there,” he said to his father Heikki Salmela.
Another year went by. Heikki Salmela felt the urge to give tangible help to a place where the money would reach its target without extra hands in between. After some networking he established contact with FIDA, a Finnish missionary organisation who arranged a trip to Bangladesh to search for a good target.
Heikki Salmela describes what sealed the deal for him:
“On the last day of our trip we visited a school that operated in two clay huts – one was for the children to sleep in and the other one was for studying. The small huts of 30 square metres had no windows and the children sat on dirty floor. The student’s heads were shaved and they were wearing white t-shirts with yellow symbols. When they started singing to us, the decision was made. This would be our mission.”
Heikki Salmela is the founder and Chairman of the Board of the restaurant chain Hesburger. Hesburger operates in nine countries. Heikki Salmela is known as an innovative entrepreneur and a spokesman for entrepreneurship.
The school project in Bangladesh has been close to Heikki Salmela’s heart from the start.
“I want the story of our school to continue for a long time. Our family has invested a lot into this and it feels meaningful. It has been great to watch the progress and see children who are happy and pleased to have the opportunity to learn. We have visited their homes and seen glimpses of their lives. It is awesome that we can give them something. My wish is that one day we could teach them the Finnish language. Maybe one day we can offer them a chance to travel to Finland, work at a Hesburger restaurant, and continue to support their community.”
Leva Salmela is responsible for the international development and marketing of the restaurant chain Hesburger. Leva speaks four languages and she is also the Honorary Consul of Bulgaria in Finland.
”The first time I visited Bangladesh was in 2015 due to our Joy & Hope school project. Since then, I have visited Bangladesh two or three times a year and I have been introduced to a whole new world totally different from my earlier experiences. I have met lovely people, both adults and children, in Bangladesh, and seen the effects of tangible aid in their lives. It is important to me personally that we can help people, families, and the community in this way. Starting the Salmela International School is a big step for us, but the circumstances are excellent: We have a great school building, a good network of teachers, as well as experience and understanding of how to run a school in Bangladesh. The academic and social success achieved in the Joy & Hope school creates a strong basis for the new school.”
