We know that there is a long road of work, effort, and persistence between wanting to create a triple-impact project and making it a reality. In this new episode of El Periscopio, we speak with Aitana Modolell, founding partner of the Etnia Barcelona Foundation. We discover what lies behind the essence of Etnia, a special brand that does much more than make glasses.
The Birth of the Etnia Foundation
Etnia Barcelona was founded in 2001, and 15 years later, in 2016, the Etnia Foundation was born. It emerged from the company’s recognition of the need to move toward sustainability.
At that time, the company began changing its materials and packaging, improving them and looking for ways to extend the life cycle of obsolete glasses.
“The goal was to contribute to improving visual health,” Aitana tells us, with a special focus on children, adolescents, and people without access to eye care.
Working in Networks
Aitana is a strong advocate of working with other organizations. She believes that network collaboration is highly positive because the impact is enormous.
The foundation is centered on two major projects: the local and the international initiatives. Etnia Barcelona funds both projects, with co-financing from municipalities and collaborations with many other entities.
Over the years, these projects have improved and incorporated more services, thanks to synergies with other organizations that share their vision and objectives. The Etnia Foundation supports other entities, and other entities support the Etnia Foundation—it’s a true partnership.
Te Miramos a los Ojos
This is the foundation’s local project, which aims to ensure all children have access to good visual health.
The foundation, along with a team of volunteer optometrists and opticians, visits community centers once a month to provide vision care for children and adolescents.
Alongside the Faculty of Optics and Optometry of Terrassa, which handles medical assessments, Hoya, which provides lenses, and the Institut Salvador Seguí, where students assemble the glasses, they create the final product.
Additionally, the project includes solidarity opticians located near the visited community centers. These opticians are responsible for patient follow-ups.
Solidarity Visions
Their international project involves a partnership with five municipalities and establishes a network of solidarity opticians in Senegal, Africa. Aitana explains that this initiative provides access to quality glasses and training, improving the visual health of the local population.
“These solidarity opticians are managed by women and help combat gender inequality in the country,” Aitana says.
To create these opticians, the foundation collaborates with relevant women's associations, sharing values and goals. They find a space, renovate it to function as a store, and train women to provide quality vision care.
Nourishing Etnia Barcelona
Aitana's daughter’s condition, which affects her satiety, led her to study nutrition to find the best ways to help her. This, in turn, sparked her interest in the diets of her family and the entire Etnia Barcelona team.
La Cantina is a sustainable initiative that promotes healthy living habits through organic and locally sourced cuisine. In January 2023, EcoCook®, the first sustainable restaurant consultancy and certification program, awarded them the Silver Level 4 certification—a category never before granted worldwide.
And the project doesn’t stop there. The entire team has embraced this lifestyle, and their journey is reflected in their cookbook La Cuina. A tribute to the project and its culinary philosophy.
The Four Pillars of Etnia
Color. Art. Quality. Ethics.
Everything that Etnia Barcelona does is inspired by its four pillars, and La Cantina is no exception. The essence of the brand is present in all its projects, making it unique and special.
