Ecuadornews:
Ecuacorriente S.A. will invest $ 190,000 in community responsibility programs in the area of influence of the project in Zamora Chinchipe. Ecuacorriente S.A., concessionaire of the Mirador mining project, signed 10 agreements for the benefit of the populations of the zone of mining influence of Zamora Chinchipe.
The total amount committed by the firm since June 5 is $ 190,395.60 and covers around 30,000 beneficiaries. Among the agreements signed is the financing for the purchase of a garbage collection vehicle for El Pangui, where the project is built. In addition, pregnant mothers in the locality will receive maternal and child kits, among other benefits.
These actions are part of the company’s social responsibility program that began operations in 2015. One of the main ones, since its arrival, is the construction of the bridge over the Zamora River, the Chuchumbletza – Tundayme – Mirador, which cost $ 20 million. Before the inhabitants of the sector had to cross by a pedestrian bridge and an old barge.
In addition, the main roads were paved in Tundayme and Chuchumbletza. Both works invested $ 17.5 million, according to company data. These works are independent of the payment of the 1.5 x 1000 tax on fixed assets that Ecuacorriente makes annually to the autonomous government of the Pangui canton.
The policies have gone hand in hand with an approach to the Shuar communities. One of them is San Carlos de Numpaim, who was reluctant to the presence of the foreign company. In a visit made by EL TELÉGRAFO, Carla Angoasha, Shuar leader of this community, said that previous leaders feared to interact with the mining company.
“Several organizations gave us many fears, but now there is a good relationship.” One of his first orders and that was granted by the company, was a motor boat. “Before the children had to walk 30 minutes along the banks of the Zamora River to reach the schools in Chuchumbletza, now they arrive in five minutes,” he said. 32 adults and 25 children live in the community. Through public-private partnerships, productive projects such as the creation of family gardens are carried out. (I)
