Ericeira Surf Clube amongst the winners of Capacitar 2020 Awards

 

Photography: ESC

 

Ericeira Surf Clube (ESC) is amongst the winners of the Capacitar 2020 Awards, promoted by Banco BPI and the “La Caixa” Foundation.

Among the 28 winners is the Surfing4Inclusion project, which aims to promote the quality of life of people with disabilities through surfing and the practice of adapted physical exercise and education.

This initiative, awarded with €6,500, integrates a methodology for raising awareness and developing personal, social, professional and civic skills of athletes and people with disabilities.

the pandemic left people with disabilities in conditions of inequality

Capacitar Awards are the result of a joint initiative by BPI and the “La Caixa” Foundation, seeking to respond to the work of many professionals and volunteers in third sector entities, by supporting projects aimed at promoting the improvement of quality of life, occupation and autonomy of people with disabilities or permanent disabilities in situations of social vulnerability.

The projects presented by private non-profit institutions distinguished within the scope of the 11th edition of these awards receive a total of €750 000, which will help around 1,400 people in a situation of increased vulnerability due to the suspension of therapeutic, educational and social support activities during the Covid-19 pandemic. This situation caused the loss of autonomy and aggravated the inclusion problems of people with disabilities, demanding their caregivers, in the absence of any kind of support, to assume exclusively the provision of day-to-day care, creating situations of absolute exhaustion.

According to data from a study by the Observatory on Disability and Human Rights (ODDH – Observatório da Deficiência e Direitos Humanos), the pandemic left people with disabilities in conditions of inequality access in terms of education, without therapies or social support. The study “Disability and COVID-19” reveals that in 40% of the respondents, fundamental support was suspended, such as important therapies for motor and cognitive development and personal assistance services. Therapeutic and pedagogical activities suspended (including transport to health services) during the State of Emergency also contributed to compromise the autonomy and well-being of people with disabilities.

Miguel Barata de Almeida, president of ESC (Ericeira Surf Clube), considers that “the approval of this Project demonstrates well that the path that we will have to follow in the future is this, in which we will be able to base many of our activities and projects through the most varied financing programs, in line with our public and private entities in their development”.

To be recalled that recently Ericeira Surf Clube saw an application approved by the European Commission for the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the World Surfing Reserve.

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