NEWSLETTER | 2024
- FAM Foundation
- Jan 1
- 5 min read
Updated: May 13
"Supporting Life Below Water research"
FAM Foundation Newsletter 1 2024
The FAM Foundation is proud to announce that the four winning projects of the 2023–2024 Grant Awards—selected for their scientific excellence and social relevance—have successfully launched and are already generating promising early results. Developed by leading Portuguese research institutions, these groundbreaking initiatives embody the Foundation’s commitment to fostering impactful innovation while actively contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water.
Macroalgae and Halophytes Tackling Antibiotic Resistance | University of Coimbra
Blue Carbon Initiative | CCMAR, University of Algarve
MicroFish Project | CCMAR, University of Algarve
NUTRIMO Aquaculture Project | CESAM, University of Aveiro
Implemented in 2024, the Dispensers for Safe Water project focused on delivering low-cost, reliable access to clean drinking water in rural communities across Kenya, Uganda, and Malawi. Targeting areas with high poverty rates—where over half the population lives on less than $1.90 per day—the initiative prioritized children under five, for whom diarrheal disease remains a leading cause of mortality.
In addition, the Foundation is delighted to support the CFE – Centre for Functional Ecology at the University of Coimbra through a dedicated scholarship for researcher Isabel Silva. Her pioneering work on antibiotic resistance explores innovative approaches to one of the most pressing global health challenges. This initiative reflects the Foundation’s commitment to advancing life sciences and supporting emerging scientific talent.
For the third consecutive year, the FAM Foundation has sponsored the Santa Cecília International Competition Award, a landmark event in Portugal’s cultural calendar. Hosted annually at Casa da Música in Porto and affiliated with the World Federation of International Music Competitions, this prestigious contest—founded in 1968—continues to foster artistic excellence and international cultural exchange.
Finally, under the SOS Fund, the Foundation evaluated 20 high-impact humanitarian projects and selected Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in South Sudan for its critical work in one of the world’s most underserved regions. With FAM’s support, MSF is delivering essential medical care to communities affected by violence and displacement, providing lifesaving treatment and renewed hope in areas where access to healthcare is almost nonexistent.
The FAM Foundation invests across a diverse range of areas, spanning social and environmental impact innovation, the recognition of exceptional individuals through personality, music, and sports awards, the provision of integrated institutional scholarships, and targeted responses to emerging global challenges.
The FAM Foundation proudly announces that the four winning projects of the 2023–2024 Grant Awards are already underway, delivering early results. Developed by top Portuguese institutions, these initiatives advance scientific innovation and contribute directly to SDG 14: Life Below Water.
At the University of Coimbra, a pioneering research project is tackling one of today’s most critical health threats: antibiotic resistance.
A groundbreaking research project titled "Exploiting the power of Portuguese macroalgae and halophytes: A promising approach to tackle antibiotic resistance" is underway at the University of Coimbra. Led by PI Elsa Teresa Santos Rodrigues, alongside Miguel Ângelo do Carmo Pardal and Isabel da Silva Henriques, this project aims to address the urgent global challenge of antibiotic resistance.
As part of its international grant-making efforts, the FAM Foundation supported the Dispensers for Safe Water initiative in 2024 — demonstrating its commitment to scalable, evidence-based solutions that address global health and poverty challenges. This impactful project exemplifies the Foundation’s dedication to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to clean water (SDG 6) and good health and well-being (SDG 3), by enabling safe drinking water access for millions in some of the world’s most underserved communities.
By installing chlorine dispensers at water collection points, the program reached over 4 million people (approx. 2.2 million in Kenya, 1.5 million in Uganda, and 680,000 in Malawi). At a cost of less than $1.50 (€1.30) per person annually, the initiative provided a scalable and cost-effective solution to one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s most urgent public health challenges.
Dispensers for Safe Water | Evidence Action's
Writer
In the following video, we highlight the impact of the Dispensers for Safe Water project—an initiative supported by the FAM Foundation’s international grant program.
Each year, the FAM Foundation allocates funding to recognize excellence in science, sports, and music through a series of prestigious awards. By celebrating outstanding individuals and organizations, the Foundation aims to foster talent, inspire continued achievement, and promote meaningful contributions to society.
Santa Cecilia International Competition
The Santa Cecilia International Competition holds a prominent position in Portugal's artistic landscape and is organized by the Música Silva Monteiro course. It is an internationally renowned competition affiliated with the World Federation of International Music Competitions, taking place annually at Porto's Casa da Música. With its inception in 1968 as a school competition, it has evolved over the past 50 years to become a highly esteemed and influential event in the country.
The Santa Cecília International Competition is one of Portugal’s most prestigious music events, showcasing exceptional talent and artistic excellence on a global stage.
The winners of 2024 were:
1º Place | 2º Place | 3º Place |
Artem Kuznetsov | Mariamna Sherling | Robert Bily |
Russia | Israel | Czech Republic |
Each year, the FAM Foundation awards integrated scholarships and fellowships to support researchers involved in grant-funded projects focused on SDGs 14 or other related to the 6, 4, and 3 SDGs. These scholarships enable evidence-based, qualitative research within leading academic institutions, fostering innovation in sustainability, water access, education, and health.
Isabel Silva is the FAM Foundation’s first Fellow—a dedicated researcher with a solid academic background in biology and microbiology. She is actively contributing to the University of Coimbra’s project “Exploiting the Power of Portuguese Macroalgae and Halophytes”, which addresses the urgent global challenge of antibiotic resistance.
Isabel Silva Academic History
Degree | Biology at the University of Aveiro
Master | Biology at the University of Aveiro
PHD | Biosciences - specialization in Microbiology at the University of Coimbra
The FAM Foundation’s SOS Fund supports local organizations responding to major global emergencies, such as conflict zones, climate disasters, and humanitarian crises. By enabling rapid, targeted assistance, the Foundation helps mitigate impacts and deliver critical relief to affected communities, including recent support for operations in South Sudan.
Through its SOS Fund, the FAM Foundation is supporting critical humanitarian efforts in South Sudan, where the security situation remains volatile despite the establishment of a unified government and a formal peace agreement.
The security situation remains volatile in many areas of South Sudan despite a peace agreement and a unified government.
FAM Foundation is committed with the sustainable development goals.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
