When it was known that the Prince and Princess of Asturias were to donate part of the inheritance left to them by Menorcan businessman Juan Ignacio Balada Llabrés to the Fundació per a Persones amb Discapacitat (Foundation for Handicapped People) the head of the foundation publicly stated that the joy he felt at the selection of his charity would be even greater if, one day, the Royal Family were to visit the island and see at first hand the work that they had helped to finance. His wish will come true tomorrow when Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia will come to the island to deliver the funds from Balada's legacy and will visit the foundation's installations in both Maó and Ciutadella.
The Menorcan Fundació per a Persones amb Discapacitat will receive 140,000 euros in total, 45,000 of which will come from the Fundación Hesperia set up by the Royal couple and 95,000 from the sum that the Prince and Princess of Asturias inherited directly from the Ciutadella multimillionaire, thus ensuring that Menorca, Balada's birthplace, is the main beneficiary under the will.
The foundation will use the money for the "PIL Jove" project, the aim of which is to try "to help youngsters who are slightly intellectually handicapped to find their first job", according to a Royal spokesman.
Four projects to be financed by Foundation
In his will, the Ciutadella multimillionaire Juan Ignacio Balada Llabrés stated that half of his legacy was to be used to create a social aid foundation. As a result of his wish the Fundación Hesperia has been set up and this year it will provide 180,000 euros to finance four projects, the money "coming from the income obtained from the Foundation's assets since its constitution" according to the Royal Household.
The first project to benefit is the one already described in Menorca, while the second, which will receive 45,000 euros, is a joint project with Caritas to persuade youngsters who have left school to return to education. Also to receive a grant of 45,000 euros is a project to be carried out in conjunction with the Cruz Roja to help with the care and education of children who are in situations of social risk.
A further 45,000 euros will go towards the final project, an investigation into rare diseases, and will subsidise work co-ordinated by Doctor Aurora Pujol Onofre into a neurological disorder known as adrenoleukodystrophy.