Moniheli was founded in 2009 through a project launched by Familia ry, with the goal of supporting migrant associations in the capital region and strengthening their cooperation. At the time, 30 associations came together with the idea that a common network could help build a stronger and more visible civil society in multicultural Finland. Today, Moniheli is a network of over 160 member associations and an independent organisation in its own right – supporting the very same kind of organisations that were once the reason it was created. We’ve grown into a hub of expertise: advising, connecting, and enabling.
Looking back at, for example, our 2010 strategy, it’s clear that many of the goals we set then have now been realised – in one form or another. At the time, we may not have believed they were all possible. And yet here we are: Moniheli has become a recognised organisation, one that public institutions trust and turn to. That didn’t happen by chance. It was the result of consistent, determined work.
And that work has been done by people. Over the years, Moniheli has employed more than 60 professionals across different projects and roles – most of them people who have moved to Finland themselves, or who come from multilingual and multicultural backgrounds. Interns have also been an important part of our daily work, bringing new ideas and fresh perspectives. The members of our board have given their time and expertise for the common good. In particular, we want to thank all of our chairpersons, who have carried great responsibility and led Moniheli forward – visibly, decisively, and always with heart.
These steps have brought us to where we are today. Now it’s time to pause and ask: what kind of path do we want to take for the next fifteen years? This year, we’re renewing our strategy – and we want it to be more than a map. It should be the route that guides our work toward a more impactful and sustainable future. A key milestone on that journey will be our Network Day on April 26, when we gather with our members and stakeholders for a strategy workshop.
A new chapter in Moniheli’s history is also beginning in a practical sense. After three years in Vallila, we’ll be moving this autumn to Kalliola’s Setlementtitalo. This change means more to us than just a new address – it brings a new environment where we can develop our work and support our network in a more hands-on way.
Kalliola’s spaces and values provide a natural setting for a network like ours: one that seeks connection, shares knowledge, and builds new solutions. We hope the Setlementtitalo becomes more than just an office – a place for encounters and collaboration, and sometimes, the kind of ideas you don’t plan for. At the same time, we’ll be putting into practice many of the principles we’ve talked about for years: shared resources, shared spaces, and meaningful cooperation between organisations. Kalliola is also a fitting home for our Katto programme, which continues its work to prevent homelessness as part of this new chapter.
And what could be more Moniheli than a celebration?
So mark your calendar for Friday, October 10, 2025. On that day, our member associations, partners, and wider community are invited to an event that is more than an anniversary or office-warming party. It’s an opportunity to connect, to collaborate, and to gather strength for our shared work toward a more equal Finland. We’ll share more details as the date approaches.
We hope you’ll join us – to celebrate what we’ve built, and above all, to open the next chapter together!
Read about our move in this news article from Kalliola (in Finnish): https://kalliola.fi/moniheli-ja-yhteisotalot-muuttavat-setlementtitaloon/