- A New Horizon for my Neighborhood, Carabela Youth Association, FEAFES - Huelva, Cienciaterapia, and AOSA-TEA are the winning entities selected by the jury
- The jury was chaired by the Minister of Equality, Social Policies, and Conciliation of the Junta de Andalucía, Rocío Ruiz
- These international awards, which began in Huelva and are in their 16th year, represent today Fundación Cepsa’s most important initiative in terms of social action
The jury, chaired by the Minister of Equality, Social Policies and Conciliation, in the government of the Junta de Andalucía, Rocío Ruiz, also included this year the Councilor for Social Policies and Equality of the Huelva City Council, María José Pulido; the provincial secretary of UGT-FICA in Huelva, Luciano Gómez; the charity artist, Pepe “El Marismeño” Gómez; the director of Student Services and Guidance At the University of Huelva, Mariló Guzmán; the head for social policies of LC in Huelva, Jose Miguel Pino, and Ana Infante, Cepsa employee representative in Huelva. Teresa Millán Romero, head of Fundación Cepsa in Huelva, was the Secretary.
Through its Social Value Awards, Fundación Cepsa recognizes the work of different organizations that seek to improve the quality of life of a broad spectrum of social groups: socially vulnerable individuals, the unemployed, the sick, people with physical or intellectual disabilities, ethnic minorities, children, teenagers and young adults, the elderly and victims of gender violence, among others.
Of the 46 initiatives that competed for the Awards, the jury highlighted, “the difficulty in selecting the winning groups because of their level of awareness and commitment to the most disadvantaged groups in our province, as well as their valuable contribution to society.
Additionally, the jury thanked Fundación Cepsa “for the constant drive with these awards, a leader in the province’s social field, by advising groups, and following up with the winning projects, and for getting involved with Huelva’s society through actions that show the constant relationship between Cepsa and its surroundings, particularly with the most vulnerable communities.”
Minister Rocio Ruiz highlighted the level of the projects, the importance of “collaboration between public and private entities so that all available resources reach the most vulnerable people during these times of health, social, and economic crises. There will be no other way out of this situation that we are experience as a result of the pandemic than to do it in unity, everyone together. These awards show that our region’s solidarity is alive and well and that there are many people working for those who need the most.”
Finally, the minister praised Fundación Cepsa’s initiative “for establishing a more specific category for the projects related to the COVID-19 and its impact on society. It is good to put a face to those who are giving their all for others because they are an example and an inspiration for the rest.”
For her part, Teresa Millán, head of Fundación Cepsa in Huelva, affirmed that “these awards have become a benchmark in Huelva and Andalusia. From Huelva, it spread to other regions of Spain (Madrid, Campo de Gibraltar, and the Canary Islands), Portugal, Brazil and Colombia. As of 2019, we have awarded 341 associations, but what matters most is the number of people who have benefited from the winning projects.”
For its part, Fundación Cepsa also thanked the members of the jury for their valuable contributions and experience, in addition to all the associations that submitted applications, as examples of commitment, dedication, and solidarity. They have also recognized the solidarity godfathers and godmothers, Cepsa professionals, who, with their support, bring visibility to these awards and other social projects carried out by Fundación Cepsa.
Winning projects
The project presented by the Un Nuevo Horizonte para mi Barrio Association, “Despierta con NH” (Wake up with NH), will address the needs of children and youth in the Pérez Cubillas neighborhood, providing educational, social, and cultural activities to this vulnerable population.
The Carabela Youth Association will allocate the total of the award to “Acompañamiento digital en tiempos Covid19” (Digital Support in Times of COVID-19), an action that gives the submitted project its name.
Another award will go to the project “Fortalezas y Resiliencia ante el Covid-19” (Strengths and Resilience against the Covid-19), presented by FEAFES - Huelva Mental Health. Thanks to Fundación Cepsa, programs will be carried out to minimize psychological damage caused by the pandemic to the people the association serves and their families in rural areas.
For its part, Cienciaterapia - The National Association for the Provision of Science Education for Children in Hospital will launch a project consisting of “Talleres online de ciencia y Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible para niños y niñas hospitalizados”(Online Workshops on Science and Sustainable Development Objectives for Hospitalized Children), which gives it its name.
Finally, the Huelva Association of Asperger's Syndrome and mild or moderate ASD aims to carry out an individualized plan that meets the specific needs of those it serves with the project called “Programa terapéutico y de fomento de la autonomía personal” (Therapeutic and Personal Independence Program).
Employees’ Special Award
The jury put forward two other projects as candidates for the Employees’ Special Award; This special award is given by Cepsa professionals to one candidate from the two selected in each regional round (Huelva, Madrid, Campo de Gibraltar, the Canary Islands, Portugal, Colombia and Brazil) of the Social Value Awards. In the case of Huelva, the project called “Promoviendo el bienestar” (Promoting well-being), presented by Eagerness to fight for Alzheimer’s patients WALKING in Bollullos Par del Condado, and the project “Teleintervención en atención temprana para menores de discapacidad” (Remote consults in early care for children with disabilities), presented by the LA CANARIEGA Association of People with Disabilities of Almonte.
Five winners will be chosen from among the fourteen projects competing for this award, and will receive 46,000 euros, which will be announced in mid-December. The Fundación Cepsa has also increased the number of special awards, from three to five, to face the current socio-economic crisis caused by the pandemic.