- The first meeting was with Fasican, which promotes the autonomy of deaf people in the Canary Islands
- More than 200 users of the organization will benefit from a remote video interpreting system in 2023
Fundación Cepsa began its program of visits to the seven organizations recognized by the Social Value Awards 2022, first approaching the Federation of Associations of Deaf People of the Canary Islands (Fasican), to inquire about the status of the winning project 'SVils Fasican', an innovative remote and real-time video interpretation service.
The award made it possible to implement a specific application (app) and hire a sign language interpreter to provide the service throughout this year. The system is based on the audiovisual connection, with a user-friendly app, between the deaf person, with the person offering each specific service (both in public administrations and private companies), and the sign interpreter, ensuring effective communication. And this without any other requirement than an internet connection and a smartphone or tablet to allow communication through the device's camera and microphone.
To date, more than 80 Fasican users have made use of this system, which has enabled them to access all kinds of face-to-face services, facilitating their personal autonomy in their daily lives. This figure is expected to exceed 200 people by the end of 2023.
The head of the Fundación Cepsa in the Canary Islands, Belén Machado, who attended the visit accompanied by Gonzalo Foronda, a Cepsa professional who supported the NGO as a solidarity sponsor, stressed "the importance of telematic technological advances in the field of functional diversity." "This system promoted by Fasican is very useful for their group as it helps them in their daily lives by facilitating communication, thereby promoting their integration and independence, enabling them to access services that they would otherwise not be able to access on their own."
Fasican's mission is to work to improve the overall welfare of all deaf people and their families, to defend, promote and ensure the use of sign languages, and to strengthen the associative movement and achieve a change in the social reality of the Canary Islands. In the words of its president, Kevin Pérez, "having the help of Fundación Cepsa to implement the 'SVils' project in the Canary Islands has been a tremendous boost for our federation as it has allowed us to focus on a digital transformation of the services we have been providing. This change in methodology enables us to optimize time and resources."
Additionally, "the collaboration of both Fundación Cepsa and our sponsor, Gonzalo Foronda, makes it easier for our work to be known by society, acting as a spokesperson so that together we can achieve a more plural, supportive and inclusive Canary Islands," he said.
Upcoming visits to 2022 winners
Fundación Cepsa will soon visit the other winners of the Social Value Awards in the Canary Islands: Asociación Adepsi, Association for the Study of Spinal Cord Injury (Aesleme), AFES Mental Health, the Canary Islands Association for Autism Spectrum Disorder (Apanate), the Gull Lasègue Association for the Study and Treatment of Anorexia and Bulimia in the Canary Islands (GullONG) and the Pichón Trail Project Association (which won one of the Special Cepsa Employee Awards).
Social Value Awards
These annual awards, which began in 2005, are one of the stand-out initiatives of Fundación Cepsa. They are held in the Canary Islands, Madrid, Huelva, Campo de Gibraltar, Portugal, and Colombia, and are aimed at supporting disadvantaged people, groups and sectors, in addition to promoting solidarity values by involving Cepsa's professionals, who sponsor the projects presented by the non-profit organizations.
A total of 69 projects have been carried out to date in the Canary Islands thanks to these awards, with a contribution of around €650,000 from Fundación Cepsa.
The period for submitting entries to the 2023 competition will launch at the beginning of September.
