Fundación Moeve and the Canaria Maín Foundation, working together to promote migrant integration, employability, and well-being in Tenerife

    • The “Confía Maín” Project, winner of a Social Value Award in 2024, has already assisted 162 people from 21 different countries
The Canaria Maín Foundation, winner of a Social Value Award in 2024, hosted Fundación Moeve so they could learn about their award-winning “Confía Maín” project, an initiative improving the quality of life for women and young migrants in situations of extreme vulnerability on the island of Tenerife.

In light of the award received, with a financial endowment of 25,000 euros, the Canaria Maín Foundation is offering its migrant users various trainings (including Spanish language, digital skills, and practical skills), as well as job guidance, advising on immigration matters, job boards, mediation, and fostering a support network among participants through community activities and cultural visits.

The head of Fundación Moeve in the Canary Islands, Belén Machado, accompanied by Argenis Ceballos, a professional at Moeve who sponsored the entity, were received by its director, Antonio Molina, and two of the members of his team, Miriam González and Alexis Díaz, at the headquarters of the Maín Foundation in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

During the visit, they attended several of the training initiatives being carried out as a result of the winning project, including a cooking course and a Spanish class for foreigners. Esther Pérez, sponsor of another of the three winning projects from the last edition of these Awards, also accompanied during the visit.

“Visiting the winning entities is essential, as it brings us closer to their reality and allows us to get to know firsthand their activities, the obstacles they face, the social good they do, and the details of their day-to-day work. These visits are also for the sponsors, professionals from Moeve who have supported the projects, so they can see up close how the initiatives are developing and how useful they are for society; in this case, their positive impact on the lives of migrants by offering them tools and support for their integration into society and the job market.”

Belén Machado - head of Fundación Moeve in the Canary Islands

For his part, Antonio Molina maintains that “funding from Fundación Moeve for this project has become a fundamental pillar in improving the employability and overall well-being of the migrant population we serve in Tenerife. Since the program began in February of this year, this project has shown an unwavering commitment to social and labor inclusion."

To date, the “Confía Maín” project has provided assistance to over 160 people from 21 different countries, 60% of whom reside in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The project has been recognized as a highly valuable resource, receiving referrals from other social entities.

The project will end in mid-July with one final group outing, in this case to the Las Calderetas recreational area. Beforehand, an employability workshop and a yoga workshop will be held to complement the physical and mental well-being of the participants. In addition, this week a meeting will be held to recognize the effort and dedication of program participants, including a presentation of diplomas for completing the various courses taught.

Key initiatives and profiles of beneficiaries

The “Confía Maín” project structures its initiatives around five main pillars designed to address specific needs of the migrant population. 32% of the entity's users, mostly minors from Mali, have received training in Spanish for foreigners, a crucial component. It is important to highlight the importance of this course for the integration of these young migrants, coming from eight different children's centers all around the island.

Another pillar is training aimed at improving employability, with the most in demand being those in cooking, healthcare and English. Furthermore, advice and support in their regularization, a service requested by almost a quarter of users, is provided through personalized individual attention and close support throughout the process, a fundamental aspect for stability and access to job opportunities.

Job support is carried out through employability workshops that provide tools for insertion into the labor market. Two have been held so far, with one more planned before the end of the program.

Finally, a job board for people with a work permit connects users with job offers and associated entities, creating individualized profiles for each participant.

Group cohesion and creating networks

The Canaria Maín Foundation places special emphasis on group cohesion and the creation of support networks. Initiatives such as a shared snack at the project presentation, a biodanza workshop, or group outings like the one to the Palmetum in Santa Cruz, strengthen a sense of community among migrants by creating an environment of trust and mutual support

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