The Becas Renueva initiative, promoted by CEAR Canarias with the support of Fundación Moeve, has reached its halfway point. The program provides five former foster youth, originally from Mali, Gambia, Senegal, and Morocco, with financial resources to cover accommodation, living expenses, and other essentials while they pursue a Professional Certificate in the Installation and Maintenance of Solar Thermal Systems. This training, delivered by the Instituto Focan, targets unemployed individuals and focuses on a sector with high job demand.
The training program, running from August to December, combines 475 hours of theoretical content with 145 hours of non-work practice. The aim is to equip participants with professional qualifications in the renewable energy sector, an area with growing employment opportunities.
Belén Machado, head of Fundación Moeve in the Canary Islands, and Jesús Méndez, a professional from the foundation, visited the CEAR Canarias facilities in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. They were welcomed by Juan Carlos Lorenzo, CEAR's territorial coordinator, and two organizational technicians. During the meeting, they discussed the project's progress and observed a class given to beneficiaries at the Instituto Focan.
“"An initiative whose impact goes far beyond the number of beneficiaries, which, although it might seem small at first glance, is truly significant because it is a project that can genuinely change lives. We are confident that, with the continuous support CEAR is providing, if these five young people seize this opportunity, they can build a promising professional future in a sector with great employment potential."
Machado also highlighted the importance of the financial aid provided by the scholarships, enabling the young individuals to focus on their training without worrying about basic expenses. Juan Carlos Lorenzo, territorial coordinator for CEAR Canarias, acknowledged the support from Fundación Moeve through the Social Value Prizes. He emphasized that for young people facing particularly vulnerable situations, this opportunity offers more than just a course; it provides concrete tools to build a more autonomous life project by removing financial barriers.
Lorenzo noted the extra effort made by the five participants, who had to prepare for and pass key competency tests to directly access Level 2 of the certificate, as Level 1 courses were not offered in 2026. Furthermore, their joint preparation has fostered a strong bond, which will benefit them during their training and likely in their lives.
Fundación Moeve's Social Value Prizes, established in 2005, aim to support entities working with vulnerable groups in the foundation's areas of operation. In the Canary Islands, these awards have funded 80 social projects, totaling 862,000 euros. For the 2025 edition, CEAR Canarias, Cáritas Diocesana de Canarias, and Fundación Sonsoles Soriano were the recognized entities, collectively receiving 75,000 euros.
The call for the 2026 Social Value Prizes will be open from September 1st to 18th.
