The seventh edition of EDP Solidaria is underway. 23 organisations from Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, Cantabria, Castilla La Mancha, Madrid, Valencia, Galicia, Extremadura, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands will receive a total of 800,000 euros to promote and develop solidarity projects, which fall within the three areas of intervention of the programme promoted by the EDP Foundation: energy efficiency and equitable access to energy, rural development and care for the elderly.  

With this programme, the entities will be able to develop and increase the projection of their initiatives, which will have a positive impact on 90,000 people. In addition to having their own resources, they will have the collaboration and supervision of EDP volunteers. 

The energy company's Foundation has reoriented the programme to respond to the consequences of the crisis generated by the pandemic. Thus, it has increased its contribution by 33% (200,000 euros) compared to previous editions, which has enabled a greater number of projects to be selected. The aim is to contribute to and promote the development of initiatives that seek to improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable people.  

The 23 projects selected were presented at a virtual event, which took place in Oviedo, at the energy company's corporate headquarters. The event was attended by the Regional Minister for Social Rights and Welfare of the Government of the Principality of Asturias, Melania Álvarez, the Chairman of EDP Spain and the EDP Foundation, Manuel Menéndez, and the Director of the EDP Foundation, Vanda Martins. Representatives of three entities that have participated in the programme also took part in the event: Charo Romero, from the ECODES Foundation; Alicia Suso, from Cáritas Bizkaia; and Gloria González, from Economists Without Borders.  

The EDP Foundation selected the projects based on their contribution to the programme's three areas of intervention: energy efficiency and equitable access to energy, rural development and care for the elderly. In addition, it has also taken into account their contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to which EDP is committed.  

The EDP Foundation's work with the organisations that participate in EDP Solidaria extends to the EDP Foundation Academy, an initiative that consists of a training plan in different subjects, such as finance, innovation, energy efficiency and social responsibility. The aim is to contribute to greater autonomy for the organisations and strengthen their organisational capacity. 

The EDP Solidaria programme was first launched in 2015. Since then, the EDP Foundation has allocated more than €4 million to 144 solidarity projects of 99 organisations, with a positive impact on the quality of life of 440,000 people. 

Seventy-six projects from all over Spain applied for this seventh edition. The EDP Foundation selected the following: 

Andalusia: 

- Asociación Paz y Bien - RURAL@GAP: Technological support and digital skills for access to e-learning for people with intellectual disabilities living in the rural areas of Saypa and Andévalo/Huelva.  

Asturias: 

- Fundación Hogar de San José - Job placement for young people formerly under guardianship in the post-COVID era: a commitment to complete the cycle of support from childhood to full autonomy. 

- Fundación Acción Contra el Hambre: ASTURIAS SOTENIBLE - Project for the implementation of jobs and entrepreneurship in the framework of the circular economy. PHASE III 

- Secot: Mayores digitalizados postpandemia. (To be developed also in Balearic Islands, Community of Madrid, Catalonia). 

- Asociación Canvida Detección: Canine Unit for the Detection of Covid. 

- Asociación Juan Bautista Montagne: XUNTOS CONECTAMOS. Strengthening of digital and social competences as an element of educational innovation and equity among minors and families in vulnerable situations. 

- ACCEM Asturias - GENR@RED: Training project to reduce the digital divide and promote intergenerational relations.  

- Asociación syndrome de down Asturias: Support in Rural Environments.  

Aragon: 

- Medicusmundi Navarra Aragón Madrid: Space for citizen participation and transformation based on energy efficiency and circular economy. 

- Adri Jiloca Gallocanta: Children with rural energy against COVID. 

- Centro de Desarrollo del Somontano: RURALEMPLEA, connecting opportunities. 

- Asociación Mallata Educativa: Books, culture and food in my village.  

- CEDEMAR - Jóvenes Dinamizadores Rurales: Support for entrepreneurship, initiative and youth leadership in rural areas. 

Cantabria: 

- UNATE, la Universidad permanente: Promotion of Digital Inclusion of the elderly in Torrelavega. 

- Cáritas Española: Breaking the digital divide to guarantee inclusive, equitable and quality education for children and young people in vulnerable situations (will also be developed in Asturias, Valencia and Castilla y León). 

Castilla la Mancha: 

- IntermediAcción: Educational Success. Integral community programmes for educational compensation and promotion in Toledo, Hellín and Tobarra. 

Community of Madrid: 

- Fundación de investigación para vencer el Cáncer: COVID19-HOSPITAL LA PAZ PROJECT. Cell therapy with memory T lymphocytes in severe COVID19 patients. PHASE II. 

- Asociación adopta un abuelo: Grandparents Hackers. (Also to be developed in Valencia, Catalonia and Andalusia). 

- Fundación San Juan del Castillo: Workers and essentials.  

- Fundación Prodis - Aula senior: Active ageing for people with intellectual disabilities. 

- Socaire por una nueva cultura energética - RADAR Villaverde- Usera: Advice Network to Detect and Act in the face of energy vulnerability in the districts of Villaverde and Usera.  

- Fundación para la acción social por la música: Experimenta Compañía - Over 65s.  

- Aldeas Infantiles SOS de España: Comprehensive care programme for children and their families at social risk within the framework of the COVID crisis (also to be developed in the Balearic Islands, Asturias, Valencia, Castile-La Mancha, Canary Islands, Aragon, Andalusia).