Respekt NGO – Against all odds.

Beyond the expected obstacles, I encountered a hardening of attitudes within political and institutional layers—where empathy had given way to indifference. Vollsmose had long been seen as a place where efforts rarely led to visible success, making further investment unpopular with both politicians and the public. This passive resistance to meaningful change took me by surprise. In hindsight, the warning signs were there—nobody had attempted to build something like Respect in Vollsmose for over 10 years, if ever.

Had I known the immense resistance I’d face—where even small steps of progress felt monumental—I might never have started. Every minor victory, requiring extraordinary effort, was often met with indifference or a shrug. Vollsmose is Denmark’s poorest area, and its challenges are incomparable to those in other places. What might be considered a small win elsewhere took monumental effort here, yet those hard-won victories were often dismissed or misunderstood by those not directly involved. 

Despite the challenges, Respect has grown—perhaps not exactly as I first envisioned, but true to my core vision—a thriving community hub built through flexibility, agility, and constant adaptation. It’s become a place of creativity, collaboration, and empowerment, standing as a beacon for marginalized communities. Here, people can reclaim their dignity, express their voices, and create meaningful change in their own lives.