ONCE Social Group has been present in Ibero-America for several decades. Its current co-operation with Ibero-American countries is structured in various areas: development co-operation via the ONCE Foundation for Solidarity with Blind People in Latin America (FOAL), introducing Ilunion companies, talks to develop multijurisdictional gaming products and tailor-made initiatives aimed at persons with disabilities through partnerships, advisory functions and donations.

In terms of development aid, since 1998 FOAL has enabled ONCE Social Group to channel international development resources for programmes in the fields of inclusive education and inclusion in the labour market, as well as capacity-building initiatives to empower the movement of visually impaired people in nineteen Latin American countries.

ONCE Social Group’s actions have also helped to forge strategic alliances with Ibero-American organisations such as SEGIB, OISS and  OEI, with the aim of ensuring the disability perspective is included in public policies in the region, with ONCE Social Group’s social inclusion model as a benchmark. More specifically, the creation of an Ibero-American programme for the inclusion of persons with disabilities bears testimony to the results we can achieve through our work in this area.

To raise awareness regarding the spirit of regional co-operation in support of people with disabilities, ONCE initiated its ‘In Solidarity with Ibero-America’ programme through the icon that best represents the organisation: the cupón, ONCE’s lottery. Thanks to this programme, every month a weekend lottery ticket is set aside for one of the 22 countries within the Ibero-American community, amounting to a total of 110 million tickets which provide the opportunity to share with both Spanish society and government representatives from each of the countries with an embassy in Spain our model for social inclusion as a reality that can be replicated for people with disabilities in Ibero-America.

Access to information, access to cultural assets, and freedom of expression and opinion are also fundamental human rights which states must guarantee for all their citizens. Through its ‘Libraries for All’ scheme, ONCE Social Group helps to set up and consolidate spaces allowing access to reading and information in national libraries to make it easier for people who are blind or severely partially sighted to exercise these rights. 

Tourism for all, accessibility and universal design, assistive technologies and expanding Ilunion companies internationally are other areas where we work together with governments, businesses and civil society to develop products that enhance inclusion opportunities for people with disabilities in the region.

 Useful links 

• ‘Helping hands’ volunteer programme

• ’Libraries for All’ programme

• Ibero-American Disability Programme

• FOAL 25th anniversary(se abrirá nueva ventana)