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Premi LiberPress 2019

THE CRISÁLIDA AND JACINTO MARQUÉS MANCHO FOUNDATION

Jacinto Marqués Mancho was born in Lleida (in the closest hospital to Camporrells) on February 7, 1966. He graduated from the University of Lleida with a degree in industrial engineering and worked as a professor at La Salle de Mollerussa from 2000 until 2012. His experience in international cooperation began in 1992, in partnership with Intermón, in Bolivia. But, according to himself, it was in Mozambique where he lived the experience of shared life and commitment with the most intensity, dedication and satisfaction: “It was between May 1993 (after eighteen years of civil war, from 1977 until 1992) and January 1997. It was almost four years, divided into two projects: the first two, at a center for kids on the streets, Infulene, at the Maputo River, with Madreselva, an NGO related to the filles de Maria [Daughters of Mary Help of Christians]. After, I became the head of logistic development at Médecins Sans Frontières [Doctors Without Borders], in Chicualacuala, along the border with Zimbabwe.” During the months of May, June and July 1997 he partnered with the Vicente Ferrer Foundation, in Anantapur (India) on rural development projects for the most disadvantaged castes. He worked in Nicaragua in 1998. In 2001 he started his new endeavor as a mono-parental family, with six adopted children (three with disabilities) and he also started to plan and set up the Crisálida Foundation for the complete development for people with intellectual disabilities, whom he offers work and housing. “To keep going, we were very lucky and fortunate to have very prestigious people come and perform at our different events, like Lola Barrera, Víctor Manuel, Comediants, Cesc Gelabert, Marc Durandeau, Jovan Divjak, Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho, Clara Rojas, Manel Vila, and others.” Since July 2013, thanks to building an artisanal bread bakery that is run as a special occupation center (certainly the only one in the country), they give jobs (with a contract, paycheck and contributions) to up to 10 people with intellectual disabilities. All of this being done in Camporrells, a small town in a wonderful rural setting, of only 90 residents, at La Franja, a region in Aragon bordering Catalonia. There they live trying to perform the same basic functions as any family. “Crisálida was born when each and every one of us was already a part, without any distinction, of one big family and a small town.” His mother, the matriarch, also lives with all of them, providing them all with love, generosity and tenderness.

Premi LiberPress 2019

THE CRISÁLIDA AND JACINTO MARQUÉS MANCHO FOUNDATION receives the LIBERPRESS ASSOCIATION AWARD 2019 for its marvelous union, co-living, knowledge and generosity, in having created a pioneer project that requires imagination and effort: a true example for all.