SOCIAL WORK

Since the end of 2012, Abantera Ediciones has been managing two internal departments: A book, a life and A book, a smile. Both were created specifically for the non-profit dissemination of study books, children's books, cultural books and themed books.

A book, a life was created for the purpose of donating books from the Abantera Ediciones collection to various institutions, including Alzheimer's organizations, public and private nursing homes, libraries, shelters and refuges. Countless international scientific and medical studies have verified that reading is one of the most effective ways to exercise the mind, especially for the elderly.

For example, it has been proven that an Alzheimer's patient who reads 20 pages a day from any book (preferably on a topic of interest) exercises their mind at the same level as a high-performance athlete exercising their body in the gym for two hours at day. We have to understand that reading not only works the intellect, but that books, through their images and descriptions, allow us to travel and expand our horizons. Without a doubt, the act of reading is highly recommendable for this specific health problem.

Unfortunately, in this frenetic society in which we live, our elderly are mostly forgotten. Most of the time, of a person of average age must dedicate their time to obligations and daily necessities, while for the elderly, long hours of idleness are usually part of their daily routine, whether they live at home, in residences or in shelters. Therefore, the simple act of killing time by reading a good book allows them to experience and remember, which is good for both their mental and physical health.

Books are the source of innumerable benefits for those who are alone, those who do not have children or partners, or for those who due to serious economic situations, live in shelters and refuges.

A book, a life works hard every day so that countless centers can have this resource in order to the benefit the people who are a living testament to our past. The importance of this work makes organizations like ours a current global benchmark.

On the other hand, A book, a smile was created in order to donate children's and themed books to preschools, schools, playgrounds and hospital libraries, both in the public and private spheres. One of the greatest possible contributions to the development of a child's life is the stimulation of his or her creativity. Specific studies have verified that through reading, children develop their intellect, mental agility and spatial perception. This way, children can actively participate in the world, a world in which every child has the inherent right to live.

The illustrations, the colors, the words, the stories: all of these elements stimulate your senses and develop your imagination and curiosity. As corroborated by child psychologists and pedagogues, these qualities must be promoted in children.

Because of this, we want A book, a smile to give children the possibility to have fun learning through the essential world of reading, to take part in the timeless stories that make us come alive, stories that will forever remain part of our experiences and memories.

It is vitally important not to miss this age when a developing person has their maximum learning potential. The benefits of these experiences are brought to fruition in the future of each child, enhancing their lives. This initiative is about giving children the necessary tools to expand their lives, to instill in them the values of friendship, generosity and solidarity that will guide their steps and therefore, embody the promise of a better society for all of us.