After his career as a professional footballer with VfB Stuttgart and FC St. Pauli, Benji co-initiated Viva con Agua in 2005 following a training camp in Cuba. Since then, he has remained passionately committed to improving global access to clean drinking water, supported by local Viva con Agua crews at festivals and concerts alongside the ecosystem’s social businesses.
Over the years, Benji has taken on various roles within the network, including board member and managing director roles across national and international NGOs, as well as social enterprises. His work has been recognised with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesverdienstkreuz).
At the core of his work is the idea of combining the universal languages for water (music, art and sport) with entrepreneurship, creativity and community to reach the goal – All in for Water.
Today, he focuses on Villa Viva, the newest addition to the Viva con Agua ecosystem: a social guesthouse in Hamburg, Cape Town and soon Berlin – a place of togetherness, collaboration and inspiration.