Spanish Disability Organization Proving that ONCE is
Enough
By William Loughborough
When ONCE (Organización Nacional de Ciegos
Españoles, the National Organization of the Spanish Blind) was founded
in 1938 during Francisco Franco's rule, the blind of Spain and the world were
largely unemployed and many were beggars. Now, almost entirely because of ONCE,
the blind of Spain are essentially 100% employed.
ONCE, Spain's organization of and for the blind, has taken
on two institutions that have been accused of exploiting the poor: lotteries
and "rehabilitation agencies." By running the lottery efficiently, the
organization has acquired capital that has been successfully invested in
commercial ventures through its own entity, Corporación Empresarial
ONCE, S.A. Those ventures include service companies, hotels, food businesses
and Servimedia, a news agency that specializes in providing information on
issues of social interest, such as disability, integration, corporate social
responsibility and leisure.
ONCE is given a share of gross lottery revenues and uses
it for the social benefit of its members, who must be blind and Spanish. It is
one of the largest enterprises in Spain, with more than 40,000 employees.
Although the jobs, many as lottery ticket salespeople may
seem like "make-work", it is far from the usual lot of blind people who in the
U.S.A. are often relegated to really demeaning tasks like winding brooms or
stuffing envelopes - the Spaniards get to experience social interactions with
"normal" people rather than slaving away in "sheltered workshops", so-called
because they are "sheltered" from minimum wage laws. In fact ONCE has been so
successful that the unemployment rate among its members is ZERO, compared to a
rate of 70% for people with disabilities in so-called "advanced countries".
A spin-off company, Fundación ONCE, provides
professional training and employment to eliminate architectural, urban and
communication barriers and to promote "digital solidarity," that is, Web-based
services for people with disabilities. An organization founded to enhance the
lives of people with disabilities is called Grupo Fundosa.
Many observers cite ONCE as an example of a private-sector
organization doing a better job at improving the lives of others that that of
most governmental organizations in other countries.
William Loughborough is a frequent contributor to
Independence Today currently living in Madrid, Spain. He has been
involved in the Web Accessibility Initiative since its inception and has 50
years' experience in providing devices for blind orientation
William Loughborough’s blog is available on the home
page of http://www.ilusa.com. |
