health and disability

autism
Since 1991, the Orange Foundation has been working to improve the quality of life for autistic people, encouraging action, building ties and harnessing the generosity of many supporters..
In France, some 100,000 people have autism. The Orange Foundation is committed to welcoming them with dignity, helping their families and changing society's view of this disability.

The Orange Foundation is supporting a number of projects in the following areas:

- research
- creation and development of suitable structures and educational facilities
- training for professionals
- access to cultural or sports activities for autistic people

Alongside it, the Volontaires pour les Autistes (VA) association consists of 180 employees or retired employees who regularly accompany autistic people on a wide range of leisure activities. Thanks to donations, financial support can also be offered to autistic people and their families for the following activities:

 - access to special holidays
 - training for families


principles of the selection committee
An autism committee reviews the various projects for support. It is composed of representatives from national parent associations, professionals and members of the France Telecom Group.
Large or small, national or regional, each project is given the same attention by the Foundation and its selection committee. 
  


visual impairment
France has 1,700,000 people who are visually impaired and 60,000 who are blind, including 850,000 people with a visual acuity of under 3/10 (HID survey, 2002). Only 10,000 readers have access to Braille (primarily people who are blind or partially sighted from a young age). And yet, even for this population, the range of reading material available in Braille, audio books or large print is very limited. In addition, the over 60s, who account for 65% of the partially sighted population, tend to be isolated due to difficulties getting around.

The Orange Foundation has identified two priority areas for action with a view to improving the quality of life for people with total, acute or severe blindness:
 - access to information, education and culture, focused primarily on facilitating access to reading
 - access to independence

 

hearing impairment
France has 4,000,000 people who are hearing-impaired and 500,000 who are deaf (WHO and HID survey, 2002). Deaf people are able to use specific means of communication, such as French sign language and cued speech.

The Orange Foundation has identified two priority areas for action with a view to improving the quality of life for the deaf or hearing impaired:

- access to education, information and culture, aiming primarily to contribute to teaching and distributing the  of means of communication, such as French sign language and cued speech code
- support for creating adapted living areas for groups of disabled deaf people.