La Fageda - Great Stories

Today I'm launching a new series in The Flash Window named Great Stories, a group of posts trying to share some beautiful projects people have created. Ideas that are worth to be known. Dreams made true by inspiring humans. Stories to make you believe in a better world. Proudly, I can say that the first Great Story is made by an enterprise from home: la Fageda. It is a small business established in 1982 by Cristóbal Colon (no, not the same guy who discovered America) and Josep Torrell. A psychologist and a psychiatrist with the aim to improve people's live but with few knowledge of economics.

Everyone else would have thought what they wished was crazy, but they didn't. So they decided to introduce their idea to the Olot's Major (a small city located in north-east Catalonia). What did they want? To set up a company whose employees were people with intellectual disabilities or mental disorders. With neither money nor experience. But with high values of respect and social responsibility. And thirty-two years later, they have even more than made their dream come true. Nowadays the lactic factory of La Fageda  is one of the most well-known and productive. Their yoghurts are distributed all around the region and they are the third most sold, after the two big multinationals Nestlé and Danone. In addition, and more important, they have helped mentally ill patients to have a proper labor integration and the opportunity to have their own job, life and independence. Currently, a hundred sixty three people that won't have to worry about work despite their disabilities. There, they are not said to be disabled, they only have different abilities to develop. And they are equal to everybody. If you ever come across one of their yoghurts remember that you are not only paying for the product, but also paying for values as tolerance and dignity.

Sincerely,

Vera