SJM Almería

SJM Almería

The Jesuit Migrant Service (JMS) in Almería accompanies, serves and defends more than 3,000 migrant workers living in shanty towns and substandard housing in Níjar, a key area for the European fruit and vegetable industry.
The Jesuit Migrant Service (JMS) in Almería accompanies, serves and defends more than 3,000 migrant workers living in shanty towns and substandard housing in Níjar, a key area for the European fruit and vegetable industry.

Category

Strategic Philanthropy

Region

Spain

INSTRUMENT

Donation

Contribution

75.000€ (2023-2024)

Category

Strategic Philanthropy

Region

Spain

INSTRUMENT

Donation

Contribution

75.000€ (2023-2024)

Problem

In Níjar, around 1,500 people survive in over 40 shanty towns, in addition to thousands more in farmhouses, greenhouse sheds, and garages without access to water, electricity, or fair working conditions. Níjar is, according to official data for municipalities with over 20,000 inhabitants, the poorest in Spain by per capita income.

Solution

SJM combines a direct presence in settlements, dignified accommodation, and personalised support in legal, employment, health and training areas. It also has a Human Rights Observatory that denounces violations and draws up proposals for improvement for public debate.

Impact

In 2024, SJM provided 82 residential places and offered Spanish classes to 489 people. Since July 2024, it has managed a dozen properties in San Isidro de Níjar, which are already housing more than 70 people, supporting each migrant on their personal journey towards regularisation, employment, and integration.

Problem

In Níjar, around 1,500 people survive in over 40 shanty towns, in addition to thousands more in farmhouses, greenhouse sheds, and garages without access to water, electricity, or fair working conditions. Níjar is, according to official data for municipalities with over 20,000 inhabitants, the poorest in Spain by per capita income.

Solution

SJM combines a direct presence in settlements, dignified accommodation, and personalised support in legal, employment, health and training areas. It also has a Human Rights Observatory that denounces violations and draws up proposals for improvement for public debate.

Impact

In 2024, SJM provided 82 residential places and offered Spanish classes to 489 people. Since July 2024, it has managed a dozen properties in San Isidro de Níjar, which are already housing more than 70 people, supporting each migrant on their personal journey towards regularisation, employment, and integration.

We open
opportunities

We open sustainable economic opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa and Spain, combining strategic donations and impact investment.
with the purpose of improving the livelihoods of the most vulnerable people.

Impact investment

We support social enterprises and organisations by providing patient capital, technical support and partnerships, with the aim of helping them become profitable and scale up their impact.

Strategic Philanthropy

We fund projects that align with our purpose, focusing resources on job creation for individuals with fewer opportunities, which in some cases can be transformed into loans and generate returns.

Our Programmes

Acumen Academy Spain

Acumen Academy Spain

It is a training programme in social leadership that aims to foster a new generation of change agents who are challenged to solve society's most complex issues, providing them with tools and resources to help them develop new solutions and build a more just, inclusive and sustainable world.

who are already part of this community
0 chaps
created in Spain in recent years
0 cohorts

Our Programmes

Foundation Fund

Foundation Fund

It is an initiative aimed at encouraging non-profit organisations to allocate part of their capital or budgets to strengthening high-impact projects through venture philanthropy and impact investment. To this end, they have a training programme and an investment vehicle for joint investment.

in the investment vehicle
+ 0 foundations
in different Spanish social enterprises
+ 0 k inverted

Driving the impact ecosystem in Spain and beyond

Since 2017, María Ángeles León has played a key role in promoting a culture of purpose-driven and financially disciplined investment.



Her leadership has helped to change the way in which capital is mobilised for social change, not only as a funding tool, but as a driving force for transformation.

Open Value was founded on a long-term commitment to making a difference by its founders, María Ángeles León and Francisco García Paramés. For more than 25 years, they have dedicated part of their personal wealth to initiatives that improve the lives of vulnerable communities, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Initially, through traditional philanthropy, they later adopted more sustainable approaches, inspired by pioneers like Acumen and Yunus Social Business. That journey gave rise to the Open Value Foundation (OVF) in 2017.

We open minds

Our work goes further; we understand that to generate real change, we must shift mindsets and create knowledge about the effectiveness of our model.

We unlock and mobilise capital for social impact investment and Venture Philanthropy, opening new doors and weaving strategic collaborative networks.

We open
opportunities

We open sustainable economic opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa and Spain, combining strategic donations and impact investment.
with the purpose of improving the livelihoods of the most vulnerable people.

Impact investment

We support social enterprises and organisations by providing patient capital, technical support and partnerships, with the aim of helping them become profitable and scale up their impact.

Strategic Philanthropy

We fund projects that align with our purpose, focusing resources on job creation for individuals with fewer opportunities, which in some cases can be transformed into loans and generate returns.

We open
minds

Our work goes further; we understand that to generate real change, we must shift mindsets and create knowledge about the effectiveness of our model.

We unlock and mobilise capital for social impact investment and Venture Philanthropy, opening new doors and weaving strategic collaborative networks.

Impact Stories – Minds

The global school for social change pioneering in Spain

The global school for social change pioneering in Spain

Acumen Academy Spain

It is a training programme in social leadership that aims to foster a new generation of change agents who are challenged to solve society's most complex issues, providing them with tools and resources to help them develop new solutions and build a more just, inclusive and sustainable world.

chaps
0
cohorts
0

We unlock and mobilise capital for social impact investment and Venture Philanthropy, opening new doors and weaving strategic collaborative networks.

We open
minds

Our work goes further; we understand that to generate real change, we must shift mindsets and create knowledge about the effectiveness of our model.

We open
opportunities

We are committed to a long-term approach with social entrepreneurs to help their initiatives grow through a hybrid funding model that combines grants with other impact investment instruments and technical assistance.

Impact Investment

We support social enterprises and organisations by providing patient capital, technical support and partnerships, with the aim of helping them become profitable and scale up their impact.

Strategic Philanthropy

We fund projects that align with our purpose, focusing resources on job creation for individuals with fewer opportunities, which in some cases can be transformed into loans and generate returns.

Impact Stories – Minds

We form, invest in, and support social projects to generate social impact.

We form, invest in, and support social projects to generate social impact.

Foundation Fund

It is an initiative aimed at encouraging non-profit organisations to allocate part of their capital or budgets to strengthening high-impact projects through venture philanthropy and impact investment. To this end, they have a training programme and an investment vehicle for joint investment.

in the investment vehicle
+ 0 foundations
investors
+ 0 k

Impact Story – Strategic Philanthropy

Transforming school nutrition, strengthening communities.

Transforming school nutrition, strengthening communities.

Plumbee, Kenia

Social enterprise that produces nutritious porridges for school-aged children using local crops, especially
pumpkins
cultivated by women farmers. Their model improves child nutrition while generating income and training opportunities for the producers. The company is building a large-scale plant to expand its reach and distribute its food in schools and local retail outlets.

trained women farmers
+ 0 women
they have received their nutritious food
0 children

Impact Story – Impact Investment

Access to housing for vulnerable groups.

Access to housing for vulnerable groups.

First H, Spain

It is Spain's first social SOCIMI, created to increase access to affordable rental housing for people experiencing housing vulnerability and homelessness, combining impact investment with social action to develop a stable portfolio of decent homes.

in which formerly homeless people live.
0 Housing
investors
0 millions €

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We open
minds

Our work goes further; we understand that to generate real change, we must shift mindsets and create knowledge about the effectiveness of our model.

We unlock and mobilise capital for social impact investment and Venture Philanthropy, opening new doors and weaving strategic collaborative networks.

We open
opportunities

We open sustainable economic opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa and Spain, combining strategic donations and impact investment.
with the purpose of improving the livelihoods of the most vulnerable people.

Impact investment

We support social enterprises and organisations by providing patient capital, technical support and partnerships, with the aim of helping them become profitable and scale up their impact.

Strategic Philanthropy

We fund projects that align with our purpose, focusing resources on job creation for individuals with fewer opportunities, which in some cases can be transformed into loans and generate returns.