The Málaga CF Foundation, in collaboration with Fundación Harena has formed a group of “nietos solidarios” (“grandchildren in solidarity”), aiming to combat loneliness and sadness via the telephone. First team players, members of Málaga Club de Fútbol Femenino, coaches of both teams, families of the Málaga Genuine players and members of the Málaga CF Foundation will be in charge of setting up this telephone service for one of the most vulnerable social groups: old people who live alone.
The Fundación Harena has been working since 2007 to improve the quality of life of disadvantaged groups such as adolescents and children at risk of social exclusion, or dependent elderly people who need help. At this time, the state of alarm makes things even more difficult for old people, as explained by Maite Ramón, in charge of volunteering at Fundación Harena: “The situation means the number of people who are alone is growing every day and Málaga CF’s help is fundamental at this time”.
Within its program focused on the elderly, emotional slogans such as ‘Loneliness 0 – Life 10’ are used. In order to reach the figures of this marker, this group of volunteers will be working throughout the state of alarm.
One of the captains of this team of telephone volunteers is Sebastián Fernández Reyes, “Basti”, a member of Málaga CF’s Foundation, who insists that “we cannot leave our old people alone without anyone to talk to”.
These calls aim to be an injection of positivity and love for old people on their own. Starting today, the elderly who have nobody to talk to will have someone on the other end of the phone. They will be speaking to a friend, someone to talk to in the lonely hours, a “nieto malaguista”.
