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

Changing Times

For years and years (and years to come) information has been ruled by the powerful ones. We know what they want us to know. Traditional media such as newspapers or Tv might still not always tell the truth, but there is a new hope. It's real, it's clear and it's uncontrollable: the internet. Nowadays, not everyone needs a car or carrier pigeon in their lives but they need a computer. And social media. An email, maybe twitter or maybe linkedin. Or facebook. Something. Times move fast and we have to adapt ourselves.

But truth -sadly or badly-  is that this rising networks are untamable. There we find the huge tech companies attempting to ascend to the throne and have the power of social media. Will they ever be possible to control all the information that goes through them? Or maybe, do they already do?
Unlikely for them, everyone can mess up in the internet. Blogs, videos, music, posts... as simple as just clicking upload. Brilliantly easy. And it can get be sent from anyone to anyone. All around the globe. All the great stories launched out there: thousands of people raised money for Haiti in its worsts through Twitter, Malala demanded a proper education and equality for women... even Justin Bieber started in youtube. Nobody could hide it.
Hopefully people is realizing that this is our time for a change. It's our time to speak up and raise our voices. It's our time to point out the wrong and promote the right. It's finally the time for truth and justice, and we have to take advantage of it. We are the only ones who can make a change. Getting involved. Not sitting back and standing by. Debates at the family's dinner table are a begging. Not a victory. Little movements start big innovations. Because in  here, once the message is left out alone in the internet, it won't disappear. Don't worry, somebody will have save it.

Sincerely,
Vera

Me - an introduction.

A huge welcome to everybody, and a simple introduction.
Since being a little child, I have always been curious about the internet. That magic tool where I could find (almost) everything. If I wanted information for a school work (thank you so much wikipedia), if I needed a break from my life, if I felt like being a superstar fashion designer or a num1 runner in cars race or if I looked forward to talk with my all-around the world family, that was the place to go.

And that curiosity eventually lead to a growing interest in the social media part of it. I was truly amazed by the great projects ans ideas that had been born and raised (and become worldwide succesfuly) through the internet. I wanted to be a part of it.
How? Combinating my passion for writing, creating, sharing, travelling and discovering the world around me, I have started my very own blog. My little window to flash out my thoughts.

Then, what about me? I'm just a normal high school girl from Spain. Tall. Brunette. Kind of crazy. With an Argentinian dad and a Portuguese mum. And a little adorable brother. Bubbly and curious to explore the world around me.

Sincerely,

Vera