Pigna Foundation: Cleaning with Heart and Without Hurry
Where people with disabilities take on meaningful work that combines skill, teamwork and joy. A visit to the Pigna Foundation in Kloten shows that cleaning can be something different: calm, careful and full of heart.
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A workplace that fosters inclusion
The Pigna Foundation offers nearly two hundred people in the Zurich region a place to live and work, whether they have an intellectual, psychological or physical disability. At the Müliwies site in Kloten, a dedicated housekeeping team ensures that offices, corridors and sanitary areas are cleaned and maintained every day.
At the centre of it all is Alessia, a young woman full of energy and determination. She works five days a week at the Müliwies workshop with care, precision and a strong sense of responsibility.
Teamwork, structure and initiative
At nine o’clock sharp, the eleven-member team meets for its daily briefing. Tasks are distributed, wishes are voiced and ideas are exchanged.
“Today I’d like to do the floor cleaning with the Mambo,” says Alessia confidently. Team leader Salome Brönnimann nods approvingly. She knows how important initiative and self-confidence are.
“We make sure that everyone receives a task that matches their individual strengths. Participation and belonging are just as important for our employees as they are in the regular job market,” she explains.
Here, teamwork is more than just a word. When someone needs support, colleagues step in naturally. The supervisors also work hands-on alongside the team, because proximity builds trust.
Care and safety in everyday work
Alessia carefully prepares her cleaning trolley, stocking it with microfibre cloths, cleaning products and warning signs. Then she readies her machine, the Wetrok Discomatic Mambo. Her preparation is precise and practiced.
“In the hallway we have to be especially careful. Some of my colleagues use wheelchairs, so we place the warning signs in a way that keeps everyone safe,” she explains.
She starts the machine calmly, guiding it row by row with focus and ease. Cleaning without stress, but with plenty of heart.
Foam instead of buckets: a modern and healthy method
Meanwhile, Sabrina, Alessia’s colleague, is busy in the bathroom. Using a microfibre cloth and a foam bottle filled with Wetrok Reocid, she cleans the washbasins and fittings until they sparkle.
The foam cleaning method has proven ideal in institutions like Pigna. It is more hygienic, ergonomic and gentle on health. No aerosols are inhaled, no heavy buckets are carried and no cloths need to be wrung out.
Sabrina smiles. “That way, I still have energy left for football training in the afternoon.”
Her sister Nadja, who normally works at the Bülach site, agrees.
“With a bucket and water, the cloth always keeps some dirt on it. With the foam method, we always use a clean side or even a new cloth for each room. It’s much more hygienic.”
Vacuuming with attention and passion
Today Nadja has chosen to handle the vacuuming. With her Wetrok Monovac Comfort, she works quietly and precisely, while in the adjacent workshops headphones are being repackaged for the airline Swiss. Thanks to the special silent mode, everyone can concentrate on their work undisturbed.
“Vacuuming relaxes me. When everything is clean and quiet afterwards, it feels so good,” she says. Her eyes light up as she watches the Wetrok photographer at work. Photography is her passion, and today she gets to observe a professional up close.
«We purchase our cleaning products and machines from Wetrok, while Wetrok in turn assigns some production tasks to our workshops, such as assembling motor components or preparing product samples. It’s a genuine win-win situation. Beyond quality and service, we particularly value the easy handling and the high user safety of Wetrok products. A cheap machine is of no use if the service and training aren’t right. With Wetrok, we know we are in good hands.»
Variety in everyday work
To keep things interesting, the housekeeping team follows a rotation system. Depending on the day, team members assist in the kitchen, the laundry or the workshops. External cleaning jobs are also part of the schedule, such as cleaning the security trays used by passengers at Zurich Airport.
A day filled with humanity and appreciation
Late in the afternoon, Alessia and Arlinda reappear, smiling mysteriously with their hands hidden behind their backs. Then they reveal their surprise: two hand-braided bracelets in the colours of the rainbow.
“The blue one is for the gentleman, the pink one for the lady,” says Alessia proudly.
A small gesture with a big meaning. It remains as a reminder of a day when cleanliness, kindness and joy came together in perfect harmony.
