Interview with Francisco Vela

Francisco Vela is an intern in the management of Works on Lines in Operation Management. However, his most important work and personal project does not stem from this management, but from his willingness to help others and his passion for the world of motorsport.

Name

Francisco Javier Vela Cobos

But... what do they call you at home?

Fran, Francisco

What do you do at Ineco?

I work in the Maintenance and Operation Deputy Directorate, in the Works on Lines in Operation Management. Specifically, I'm involved in maintenance, construction and railway infrastructure work related to the General Interest Railway Network.

When did you join the company?

July 2022. A friend of mine from the Civil Engineering School told me about her experience at Ineco and that's when I wanted to try my luck by applying.

We have been told that you are involved in a solidarity project. Can you tell us what it consists of?

First of all, I would like to thank you for giving us the opportunity to present our project: "Riding for a Purpose", which has also been carried out thanks to the teamwork of three friends: Pablo, Borja and Marco.

The project consists of participating in the 12th edition of UNIRAID23, a solidarity raid that took place from the 11th to the 19th of February and started in Tangier. The main mission of this raid is to transport solidarity material to the most isolated villages of the Moroccan Atlas and Sahara. In total we managed to carry more than 120kg of material in computers, stuffed animals, clothes, backpacks and shoes.

Along the way, we travelled along the old Paris-Dakar routes, overcoming all the problems and obstacles that came our way. It is a challenge focused on young students, with a great spirit of solidarity and adventure. We have driven vehicles more than 30 years old through the desert, with the only help of a compass and a roadbook. We have experienced many setbacks that have provided us with a great deal of learning. Not only on a mechanical level, which is the main theme of the project, but also on a mental level. We learned to face all adversities with a positive and proactive attitude in order to achieve our common goal: to deliver the solidarity material.

What have you been able to learn from this project?

Without a doubt, it is an exciting project. It combines the values we have learnt in our profession with the ability to undertake a solidarity project. We innovate with ideas that UNIRAID had never known before. We are the first team to participate in the raid with zero emissions, something we achieved by compensating our carbon footprint by collaborating in the planting of a forest in the Sierra de Gredos. In addition, we have maintained our circular economy philosophy, reusing as many materials as possible. The result is a project that combines adventure and international cooperation, with the added value of sustainability.

We must emphasise that this project has been possible thanks to the collaboration of the José Entrecanales Ibarra Foundation, which has supported us from the beginning to be able to execute this dream. By the way, we tell our adventure in a more extended way in @riding_4a_purpose on Instagram, in case you want to take a look at it.

How did the idea of participating in this project come about?

We have been working for years in the world of cooperation, in the Cooperación de Caminos Association of the Polytechnic University of Madrid of which we are part of the management team. Through which we carried out our Final Degree Projects, specifically a Strategic Plan for Universal Energy Access and implementation with alternative measures in Bolivia and Pablo an irrigation channel in Tanzania.

Therefore, the idea of carrying out this Raid has been very dreamed and mediated, we wanted to enjoy our two passions, solidarity and the world of the motor. This materialised in "Riding for a Purpose", a team created for a dream project: to participate in UNIRAID 2023.

What does this hobby bring to you on a personally and professionally?

This hobby taught us to fight against adversity with a tolerant and positive attitude. I believe that the main capacity to be able to enjoy this type of project is to know how to manage emotions with empathy. It also helped us to reflect on the attitude we should have towards the everyday situations we face in life. Always with an attitude of respect, tolerance and cooperation, we can solve any personal problem because the most important thing in life is the attitude with which we face problems.

On the other hand, I have also felt fulfilled by helping the most isolated Sahrawi families. I have seen that with little you can do a lot. But always with good teamwork. We were not only four members of "Riding for a Purpose". Our experience was possible thanks to the teamwork with Edu and Laura from "Desert Lyons" and with Nil and Mireia from "Rus Raid Team", forging a working team of eight enthusiastic young people.

What would you highlight about the company? 

Its commitment to giving visibility and supporting solidarity projects carried out by part of its team.