Fundación EDPNews

Madrid was the venue chosen to hold the EDP Solidarity 2015 awards ceremony. This programme aims to promote projects developed by associations, institutions and NGOs with the aim of supporting improved quality of life and integration of the most deprived. 

The president of the Spanish Association of Foundations, Javier Nadal, and Vice Chairman of the EDP Foundation, Manuel Menéndez, presided over the awards ceremony, which featured the 11 winning humanitarian organisations. Also attending were the managing director of the EDP Group in Spain, Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade and the managing director of EDP Renováveis, João Manso Neto.

11 winners from 37 nominations

At EDP Solidarity 2015, the EDP Foundation received a total of 37 nominations for the awards. Finally, 11 were selected from the proposed actions, which will receive a total contribution of 344,000 euros. The jury for the awards was made up of department heads from different areas of the EDP group and the implementation of the projects will be overseen by managers and volunteers from the company.

Madrid, Asturias, Basque Country and Cantabria

Five institutions from the Community of Madrid were among the winners: the Tomillo Foundation in Madrid, with the project "Energy Efficiency: an opportunity to employ vulnerable young people"; the Menudos Corazones Foundation for the programme "Design and development of Moodle courses: Going home after surgery and developing a guide to prepare teenagers for surgery. "

Also awarded were the proposals made by Apostólicas CJ - Comunidad de Obras Sociales (Community Social Work), for the "Programme to accompany and support the social and labour insertion of homeless people"; the Fundación Desarrollo y Asistencia (Development and Assistance Foundation) for the project "On Saturday, we go out together!" and AFANIAS, (Association for People with Intellectual Disabilities), for developing an "Integrated support service."

Three associations from the Principality of Asturias were awarded: the Teléfono de la Esperanza (International Association of Telephone Emergency Services) for the project "You are energy: plug your life in. Programme for people with depression "; the "Galban" Association of Families of Children with Cancer in Asturias, which submitted a "Comprehensive development project for children with cancer and their families" and the Solidaridad Amaranta Foundation, which will develop a programme for "Employability and economic autonomy of women who are victims of violence in its various forms."

Proposals selected from the Basque Country were made by the Cruz Roja Bizkaia (Biscay Red Cross), for a "Programme to combat poverty and social exclusion" and Cáritas Diocesanas de Bizkaia for the "Hontza Night Centre" project.

For their part, the Down's Syndrome Foundation in Cantabria was awarded for the "Project of continuous training and employment for people with Down's syndrome."

Support for social integration

EDP Solidarity is an initiative of the EDP Foundation, which aims to improve the quality of life and integration of the most deprived. The projects selected must be linked to priority social needs, such as support for socially disadvantaged people, the integration of communities at risk of social exclusion and the promotion of employment and entrepreneurship.