At the age of 12 she was already doing voluntary work at the Hospital de Sant’Ana. Years later, a mother of three, she volunteered two afternoons a week at the Food Bank. After one month, she was on the board of directors. Today, Portugal’s Food Banks reach thousands of institutions and hundreds of thousands of people. Isabel Jonet, its president since 2002, is the firm face of solidarity in Portugal. Her work has been recognised over the decades. By the Assembly of the Republic, in 2005, when she received the Human Rights award. And, in 2017, when she received the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of Merit. There are more, but for Isabel Jonet, this has never been the most important thing.
If you could choose, what would be the moments that have most marked the country and the world in these last 20 years?
I would highlight, without a doubt, the dissemination of the Internet and the transformation of mobile phones into smartphones, which has meant the end of distance, bringing people closer together and facilitating communication, and the attack on the Twin Towers, which changed the perception that we live in a peaceful world and forced a strengthening of security that took away a lot of individual freedom.
Professionally, what was the most decisive moment for you in these two decades and why does it stand out for you?
In 1994 I chose to be a full time volunteer at the Food Bank, since then I have supported the creation of 20 identical banks, which today support more than 2500 social institutions and deliver more than 100 tonnes of food per day, contributing to feeding 4% of the Portuguese population. In 2004 I decided to found ENTRAJUDA, to bring management and organisation to the social sector and mobilise qualified volunteers. This decision enabled us to structure several social innovation projects that generate high social impact, such as the Volunteer Exchange, the Donated Goods Bank, the Food Emergency Network and others, which enable the improvement of many people’s lives.
In your opinion, what is the most urgent change that the country and the world need to make in the next 20 years?
Greater attention to the environment and the humanisation of society. Today we live at a pace that is not human, often forgetting those who are closest to us and devoting too much time to messages, news, emails, etc., to the detriment of building more affective and real relationships. Society is based on relationships between people who know and trust each other because they have built something together, be it families, friendships or professional achievements, which requires time and dedication. We live in a rush and we give little value to what requires more time.
If you could choose, what would be the moments that have most marked the country and the world in these last 20 years?
I would highlight, without a doubt, the dissemination of the Internet and the transformation of mobile phones into smartphones, which has meant the end of distance, bringing people closer together and facilitating communication, and the attack on the Twin Towers, which changed the perception that we live in a peaceful world and forced a strengthening of security that took away a lot of individual freedom.
Professionally, what was the most decisive moment for you in these two decades and why does it stand out for you?
In 1994 I chose to be a full time volunteer at the Food Bank, since then I have supported the creation of 20 identical banks, which today support more than 2500 social institutions and deliver more than 100 tonnes of food per day, contributing to feeding 4% of the Portuguese population. In 2004 I decided to found ENTRAJUDA, to bring management and organisation to the social sector and mobilise qualified volunteers. This decision enabled us to structure several social innovation projects that generate high social impact, such as the Volunteer Exchange, the Donated Goods Bank, the Food Emergency Network and others, which enable the improvement of many people’s lives.
In your opinion, what is the most urgent change that the country and the world need to make in the next 20 years?
Greater attention to the environment and the humanisation of society. Today we live at a pace that is not human, often forgetting those who are closest to us and devoting too much time to messages, news, emails, etc., to the detriment of building more affective and real relationships. Society is based on relationships between people who know and trust each other because they have built something together, be it families, friendships or professional achievements, which requires time and dedication. We live in a rush and we give little value to what requires more time.
