We know that there is a long road of work, effort and persistence between wanting to create a triple-impact project and making it a reality. In this new episode of El Periscopio, we talk to Aitana Modolellfounding partner of Etnia Barcelona Foundation. We discover what is behind the essence of Etnia, a special brand that does much more than make glasses.
The birth of the Etnia Foundation
Etnia Barcelona was founded in 2001, and 15 years later, in 2016, the Etnia Foundation was born. It arose from the company's recognition of the need to move towards sustainability.
At that time, the company began changing its materials and packaging, improving them and looking for ways to extend the life cycle of obsolete glasses.
"The goal was to contribute to improving eye health," Aitana tells us, with a special focus on children, adolescents and people without access to eye care.
Working in networks
Aitana is a strong advocate of working with other organizations. She believes that networking is very positive because the impact is enormous.
The foundation focuses on two important projects: local and international initiatives. Etnia Barcelona finances both projects, with the co-financing of the city councils and the collaboration with many other entities.
Over the years, these projects have improved and incorporated more services, thanks to synergies with other organizations that share its vision and objectives. Etnia Foundation supports other entities and other entities support Etnia Foundation: it is a true partnership.
We Look You in the Eye
This is the local project foundation, which aims to ensure that all children have access to good visual health.
The foundation, together with a team of volunteer optometrists and opticians, visits community centers once a month to provide ophthalmological care to children and adolescents.
Together with the Faculty of Optics and Optometry of Terrassa, which is in charge of medical evaluations, Hoya, which provides lenses, and the Salvador Seguí Institute, where students assemble the glasses, they create the final product.
In addition, the project includes solidarity opticians located near the community centers visited. These opticians are responsible for patient follow-up.
Solidarity visions
Its international project involves a partnership with five municipalities and establishes a network of solidarity opticians in Senegal, Africa. Aitana explains that this initiative provides access to quality eyeglasses and training, which improves the visual health of the local population.
"These solidarity opticians are run by women and help fight gender inequality in the country" Says Aitana.
To create these opticians, the foundation collaborates with relevant women's associations, sharing values and goals. They find a space, renovate it to function as a store and train the women to provide quality ophthalmic care.
Nurturing Etnia Barcelona
Aitana's daughter's condition, which affects her satiety, led her to study nutrition to find the best way to help her. This, in turn, awakened her interest in the diets of her family and the entire Etnia Barcelona team.
LaCantina is a sustainable initiative that promotes healthy living habits through organic and locally sourced cuisine. January 2023, EcoCook®, the first sustainable restaurant consulting and certification program, awarded them Silver Level 4 certification, a category never before awarded worldwide.
And the project doesn't end there. The whole team has embraced this lifestyle, and their journey is reflected in their recipe booklet La Cuina. A tribute to the project and its culinary philosophy.
The four pillars of Etnia
Color. Art. Quality. Ethics.
Everything Etnia Barcelona does is inspired by its four pillars, and La Cantina is no exception. The essence of the brand is present in all its projects, which makes it unique and special.
