Created in 1976, Geres is an international development NGO that works to improve living conditions and fight against climate change and its impacts. By acting directly on the ground, over the years Geres has developed actions to combat energy insecurity.
The energy transition is a driving force for action from Geres. The organisation encourages the development and spread of innovative and local solutions, it supports local climate-energy policies and mobilises actors around climate solidarity by encouraging them to act and to support the most vulnerable so that this transition can be one that is socially just.
Among the different projects carried out by Geres, the Amis du Festival foundation has supported the programme against energy insecurity in the Marseille neighbourhood of Cabucelle – Saint-Louis, providing €50,000 in funding in 2022. |
What does the project consist of?
In France, 3.5 million households are in a precarious situation given high energy expenses and modest revenues. The project, co-financed by the Festival, takes place in a neighbourhood of Marseille characterised by a deteriorating housing stock that includes a high percentage of poor households.
The programme that has been put in place seeks to strengthen the capacity for these families and isolated individuals to act to improve their living conditions in their housing.
It rests on 4 complementary components:
actions to seek out vulnerable households and advisory visits to them.
the implementation of personalised support and the carrying out of urgent repair work if necessary (e.g., installation of double glazed windows, creation of seals, etc.) by Impulse Toit, a social inclusion organisation of the Red Cross.
the organising of group workshops to inform households of their rights and of existing finance solutions, making it easier to understand energy consumption and to warn of health hazards.
the collection and analysis of data with the aim of having greater awareness of energy insecurity along the Mediterranean and of related health questions.
What are the results?
GERES estimates the cost of supporting a household to escape energy insecurity to be between 1,000 and 1,500 euros. Support can go from a visit from an energy advisory group to the carrying out of urgent repair work and the installation of equipment. The cost of materials for such work is around 800 euros. Experience has shown that between 10 and 20% of targeted households require such work. Thanks to the solidarity of Amis du Festival, GERES estimates around 35 to 50 households are supported on the basis of identified needs.
GERES is supported by the Amis du Festival foundation.
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