“I appeal to the solidarity of our people to be able to help those who need it most because they are in a situation of severe poverty, but over the 4,000 Canarian children who suffer from it.” Manuel Artiles, director of Mírame Televisión, assures it in the preview of the Solidarity Telethon that celebrates its twelfth edition today. Artiles calls “to mobilize and participate” to the entire society of Tenerife and the Canary Islands given the regional dimension of the initiative.
The Mercatenerife Esplanade in Santa Cruz expects donations from individuals, companies and organizations from both the public and private spheres between 12:00 and 20:00 today. Mírame Televisión and the Food Banks organize the twelfth edition of a classic event on these Christmas dates.
Challenge
The challenge is to cover the basic needs of more than 40,000 people from the Islands who live in severe poverty. Artiles explains that “the figure is accredited by the municipal social services, which is where these people go in the first place to request help.” The director of Mírame emphasizes that this twelfth edition is special because “the restrictions of the pandemic that for two years prevented horseback riding or any other type of mass action are overcome.”
“I make a launch to mobilize and participate to all the canaries”
Recovery
The Telemarathon, which will be broadcast live by Mírame Televisión and TVE in Canary Islands, recovers its traditional solidarity march, with the arrival of donations and the participation of companies, entities and citizens. Manuel Artiles recalls: «Mercatenerife will be open from eleven in the morning to eight at night. It can be accessed by vehicle and I encourage families to go, leave their donation, walk and enjoy, as well as imbibe this spirit of solidarity”.
“They have asked us for a lot of milk and gofio -explains Artiles-, but above all children’s products for babies and children from 0 to 6 years old”. NGOs have launched an SOS to request formula milk, diapers, baby food jars, bottles or gender for infant hygiene. Artiles proclaims: «If you want to donate or know someone who wants to, call 922 100 122».
Delusion
Artiles states that he feels “very excited like all of us who participate in this to move it forward and that it turns out well. In response to the great need that exists. There is also another important reason. «The aid from the European FEGA is over. Now it is necessary to resort to direct subsidies and this model is complicated for the entities due to the delay in the bureaucratic procedures that can reach up to six months. And you cannot go six months without merchandise to distribute ». Hence the enormous importance of having stocks not only for this December but for the next three months at least.
Staff
Manuel Artiles expresses his personal testimony on social networks: “I’ve experienced the despair you feel when you think you’ve lost everything and hence my desperate reaction.” He considers that “helping more than 40,000 canaries in severe poverty is not an easy task, but no one can say that we are going to fail.” Artiles confesses that “as a citizen on occasions I have not been up to the task, as an entrepreneur I have experienced failures and as a communicator I have made mistakes. But if there’s one thing I’m never wrong about, it’s trusting the people of the land where I live.” That confidence moves him to the call to go to the Explanada de Mercatenerife today. The paths of Christmas solidarity lead there.
