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Initiatives in Social Volunteering

Iquique

  • “Maria Ayuda: Together for Children”:For the past 5b years, SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition and its volunteers have been supporting the headquarters of Maria Ayuda Foundation, a charitable organization located in the city of Iquique, as part of the “Together for Children” program promoted by the Conference for Production and Commerce (CPC), in which member companies sponsor an institution.

Achievements:

  • In Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza Children’s Home, ran by the Maria Ayuda Foundation in Iquique, several extensions and green areas were developed, built and decorated by Corporate Volunteers.
  • We signed a donation agreement to finance the implementation of Alma Santa Maria de La Florida Home located in Santiago, and as well as to finance the improvement of several facilities in Antofagasta, such as: electrical standardization, perimeter closures, improvement of courtyards and implementation of study rooms.
  • In December, a parade float with workers and their families brought joy, gifts and sweets to the children who live at the home, as part of an established tradition in Tarapaca.

Telethon Agreement: We signed a collaboration agreement with the Chilean Telethon, which seeks constant work from volunteers in our company, in instances of support, improvement and recreation of patients in the region. The alliance also considers instances to promote inclusion, sports, entrepreneurship and giving technical aids for families that are part of the institution.

A total of 884 patients haven been attended by the Telethon Institute of Iquique in the last 12 months, a regional center that celebrated 26 years of work in 2022 focused on the rehabilitation of children and adolescents in Tarapaca.

“Together for a safer historical area in Iquique” Program: We promoted this project jointly with the Regional Federation of Community Unions of Tarapaca, carried out by Factor de Cambio Foundation and with the support of the Regional Government.

Achievements:

  • Nearly 500 security cameras were given to various neighborhood councils in the historical area of downtown Iquique. 
  • The cameras were installed at 13 corners in each sector, where they can record the movements of 4 different main streets, and provide evidence when a crime is being committed, in order to assist with police investigations.
  • This project will benefit an estimate of 7,875 people, including other public entities and businesses located in this area. 

Tocopilla – Mejillones

  • Beach Cleanup in Tocopilla and Mejillones: On International Beach Cleanup Day, our corporate volunteers participated in Mejillones and Tocopilla in cleanup operations carried out on the beaches of both cities. These two initiatives were led by the Chilean Navy in conjunction with the Municipalities of each coastal town.

Region of Tarapaca – Region of Antofagasta

Christmas with the Communities: For the past 6 years we have been present during the holidays by donating gifts, sweets and activities that promote this time for peace and love.

Achievements:

  • We were present in La Tirana and Bajo Soga, towns located in Tarapaca Region, bringing joy, music and fun to hundreds of families long with Santa Claus and friends. 
  • A great Christmas party was organized at the Therapeutic Greenhouse of Maria Elena, where we shared the day with grandparents coming from town, with the help of Mr. Barber Foundation. 
  • We gave Christmas sweets to more than 2,000 children from the Ardillita, Estrellita del Pacifico and Javiera Carrera Kindergartens located in the Tocopilla commune.
  • More than 100 neighbors belonging to the Simon Benitez Senior Citizen Club celebrated with the youngest members.

Support for Sports Organizations: In 2023 we continued to support the different sports organizations in the regions of Tarapaca and Antofagasta. We promote programs for physical activities and sorted by categories, which do meet the needs, interests and aptitudes of the people of the commune, establishing alliances with institutions in order to optimize the necessary and adequate resources sports development of Northern Chile.

Achievements:

  • 63 sports organizations received equipment, prizes for tournaments, transportation and training.
  • In alliance with the Factor de Cambio Foundation, we benefited more than 500 sportsmen and women, which made it possible for sports programs to be supported, strengthen and promoted.

 

E-Kart Races Ignited Engines in Pozo Almonte, Maria Elena and Tocopilla: The E-karts 2023 tour, in Northern Chile, took place in Iquique, Pozo Almonte, Tocopilla, Maria Elena, Mejillones and Antofagasta, where children and adolescents from 7 to 18 years of age were able to go around an automotive racing circuit aboard an electric vehicle, which they had to drive guided by the national racecar driver Eliseo Salazar.

Pozo Almonte

Expansion of a Rural Health Post in La Tirana: In July of 2023, we completed work on the expansion of a rural health post in La Tirana, located in Pozo Almonte. This was possible thanks to the support of SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition, the Regional Government, the Seremi of Health, Comudespa and the Municipality of Pozo Almonte. 

Achievements:

  • We installed 8 containers to increase the capacity of this health post, due to high demand from patients coming to La Tirana.
  • We built a space for the Red Cross volunteer service and the delivery of alcohol and mask kits. The rural post will operate 24 hours a day in coordination with a SAMU base for vital emergencies.

National Independence Celebration in Humberstone: A record number of people arrived at Humberstone saltpeter site to participate in the Pampa’s National Independence Celebration 2023. This traditional activity, which is already part of Tarapaca’s Christmas program, is organized by the Saltpeter Museum Corporation, with the support of SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition through the Cultural Donations Law.  

Achievements:

  • More than 4,000 people attended this celebration.
  • During the celebration, a series of traditional games were played, which were installed in the many Saltpeter Offices. 
  • The following folkloric groups performed during the celebration: La Carrero and Band, Wayna Wara Folklore Dance Group, Cueca Group Las Challeras, Salmonico Trio, Bronze Band “Los Humildes”, among other artists. 
  • A cachimbo workshop was held to teach how to dance this typical northern dance, as well as a juggling workshop for all children.

Huara – Iquique – Pozo Almonte

“Ruta Sonrisas” Project in Huara: “Ruta Sonrisas” (“Smiles Route”) is a project that was born thanks to an agreement signed between Sonrisas Foundation, the Municipality of Huara and SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition in 2012, in order to address the lack of timely access to oral health care for children. The objective is to provide the necessary benefits to leave children with a healthy and painless smile. In addition, the project contemplates to give educational tools to each beneficiary and their families, so they can acquire oral health care and hygiene habits at home. 

Achievements:

  • In the first part of the year 2023, about 668 services have been provided in 5 educational establishments, 4 of them in Pozo Almonte and 1 in Chanavayita.
  • The coverage of the program was extended to other towns in the communes of Iquique and Pozo Almonte, such as: Chanavayita, Colonia Pintados, La Tirana, La Huayca and Pozo Almonte.

Pisagua – Bajo Soga – Huara – Pozo Almonte – La Tirana – La Huayca

Mobile Clinic in EL Tamarugal: Together with the municipalities of Huara and Pozo Almonte and through an agreement signed with the Arturo Lopez Perez Foundation (FALP), we carried out preventive mammography procedures in the towns of Pisagua, Bajo Soga, Huara, Pozo Almonte, La Tirana and La Huayca, between January and February 2023.

Achievements:

  • A talk about prevention and early detection of breast nodules or cysts was held, as well as self-examination, which seeks to reduce the alarming figures of this cancer in Chile.
  • A total of 422 women were assisted in this mobile clinic.

Tocopilla

Support for Tocopilla’s Sport Club: We support Tocopilla’s Sports Club via the Sports Donations Law. The Club carried out cross-cutting work with different categories in its soccer schools, paying special attention to children from 8 to 14 years old, which currently comes to a total of 60 participants.

Achievements:

  • Soccer schools for children were free of change and ran by a multidisciplinary technical team that takes care of the training aspects as well.
  • The schools opened 3 times a week for a total of 4 hours per week for 8 months.
  • Mini “World” Cup in Tocopilla: During the summer of 2022 and 2023, the 58th and 59th versions of this traditional soccer tournament in Tocopilla (Mini “World” Cup), organized by the Neighborhood Sports League and sponsored by the Municipality of Tocopilla and SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition, were held with great success and participation. The competition was held at the Alexander Kurtovic Sports Complex.

Achievements:

  • In both versions, 16 teams participated in the adult and children’s categories, benefiting 640 people. 320 of the participants were adults, and 320 were children.
  • For the 2023 version, an estimated 50,000 people were estimated to attend as an audience.

“Sembrando Salud” Program: We support the initiative started by Dr. Pedro Ziede, a physician from Antofagasta, and his medical team who voluntarily performed procedures and health care at the Marcos Macuada Community Hospital.

Achievements:

  • 20 patients from Tocopilla underwent surgery.
  • 12 infants underwent surgery, divided into adenotonsillectomies, phimosis and frenectomy; and 8 adult sterilization surgeries. 
  • 31 patients had medical health care. 
  • 43 ultrasounds scans were performed: 20 abdominal ultrasound scans and 23 renal bladder ultrasound scans. These were carried out by radiologists

“Farolito Costero” Intercultural Carnival: It is a cultural, patrimonial and artistic activity, a tradition in the commune, that allows the rescue of two specific emblems, one is the malesherbia tocopillana ricardi an endemic flora species known commonly as “farolito”, and the other one in the culture of the Chango indigenous people. This is why this carnival is called “Farolito Costero”. The economic, touristic and patrimonial development of the commune is promoted through this event as well. 

Maria Elena

  • Therapeutic Greenhouse: In 2023, the Therapeutic Greenhouse project was inaugurated, thanks to the work of volunteers from the community, the municipality and our company. The project was led by Mr. Barber Foundation, in order to encourage the development of communities and their elders through acquiring new skills, and the mastery of technical and practical tools in planting and growing food.

Achievements:

  • Inauguration of the new Maria Elena Cultural Space, where a group of elderly women meet to generate social cohesion through various activities, such as agricultural production, gastronomy, podcasting and self-care.
  • The space was built with recycled materials and was materialized thanks to the collaborative work between neighbors, elderly people from the Therapeutic Greenhouse, and the corporate volunteers of SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition.

Maria Elena Foundation: In 2023 we continued to support the Maria Elena Foundation, whose mission is to strengthen social and heritage development of the Pampa commune, focusing mainly on developing projects to improve the habitability of housing projects, restore heritage buildings with historical value and improve public spaces such as squares, sports centers and common spaces, which will be defined by the community. 

Pedro de Valdivia Saltpeter Office: In June 2023, the anniversary of the Pedro de Valdivia Saltpeter Office was celebrated; an event that brought together former people from Pedro de Valdivia from different parts of Chile, who traveled to the Antofagasta Region to rediscover the magic of this former saltpeter office that was an emblem during the saltpeter golden era.

Achievements:

  • The volunteers carried out cleaning, facade painting, tidying up, among other tasks.
  • 72 signs were installed in various sectors of the saltpeter office, in addition to 10 caretakers who were in charge of informing and safeguarding the main heritage buildings. 
  • 5 thousand brochures were distributed depicting a map of the places where the different spaces were identified and located.

Religious Dances: We signed an agreement with the Saltpeter Museum Corporation, to consolidate the rescue and enhancement of the popular religiosity of the pampas in support of Religious Dances of the last saltpeter office in existence: Maria Elena. The initiative was aimed at promoting the development of activities that enhance the identity elements of the saltpeter pampa, in its intrinsic manifestation such as popular religiosity.

Achievements: 

  • Collaboration with 24 religious dances, corresponding to 2 associations: 12 dances of the Maria Elena Association and 12 dances of the Pedro de Valdivia Association.
  • Repair works of the house museum of religious dances; museography of religious dances; installation of an information point for museology, transfer of religious dances; construction works for closing La Tirana’s village for lack of religious dances; and showcase of the documentary Tirana Chica which is celebrated in Maria Elena.

Antofagasta

Support for the Budeo Bodyboard Club in Antofagasta: In 2023, the 11th version of the Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival competition was held, with the participation of international athletes from more than 15 countries. The activity was held during May and counted with the participation of the best exponents in different categories. 

The Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival is one of the most important international events in Northern Chile, which is positioned as one of the most anticipated of the world tour, by the number of participating categories, as well as having more than 10 years of history. 

Quillagua

Trades Production Program in Quillagua: We boosted this program together with the ONA Foundation, which is focused on enhancing and revitalizing the value of Quillagua’s heritage trades, installing a place for skills improvement and spaces for the transfer of knowledge and commercialization. 

Achievements:

  • Training sessions with sculptors and workshop participants from Southern Chile, who applied new techniques with carving knives and axes.
  • A line of wooden artifacts was developed for weaving crafts, through carved pieces in carob wood. Knitting knives, needles and other elements of great quality and aesthetic content were elaborated. 
  • For the textile workshop held in 2023, the equipment was renewed by purchasing looms from one of the best brands in Chile, where each user has her own loom, comb, tools and bag for transport and storage, which was given to her on loan
  • An Andean Cordage course was imparted, in order to learn about ancestral and pre-Hispanic textile techniques.
  • During the celebrations of St. Michael the Archangel, patron saint of Quillagua, tourists and locals enjoyed an exhibition called “Nostalgia Collection” in the town’s main square.

Pozo Almonte – Tocopilla – Maria Elena

Heritage Day: We have 53 years of history in the Great North of Chile, a period in which we have contributed to the enhancement of values and ancestral cultures that belong to this area, as well as the heritage riches of the saltpeter golden era.

Achievements:

  • Development of activities with the “Tin Flowers Workshop: Recuperating the Funerary Art of the Pampa”, an initiative developed jointly with the Puzzle Group, which sought to disseminate a Pampa old tradition used to worship the dead during the saltpeter era. 
  • Tocopilla’s Soccer Film Festival at GAM Cultural Center in Santiago; the discussion “Soccer as Cultural Heritage” was held with the participation of the national filmmakers Andres Wood and Grace Lazcano, as well as the sports journalist Cristian Arcos. 
  • Launching of a Short Film Festival Competition.
  • Livestream of a virtual tour of the Maria Elena and Pedro de Valdivia offices, Patrimonial Bastion of Pampa Splendor and development of a virtual workshop for pampa gastronomy.

Tocopilla – Quillagua – Maria Elena

Soccer Film Festival in the Province of Tocopilla: In 2023, between April 21st and 24th, the 2nd version of the Soccer Film Festival was held in the Province of Tocopilla, organized and produced by the Cultural Corporation of the Chilean Chamber of Construction and supported by our company.

Achievements:

  • Programming included: “Pena Máxima”, “My Friend Alexis, The Making Of”, “I Want to be like Beckham” and “Pele: Birth of a Legend”.
  • Screening of the winning short film of the 1st edition: “A Treasure, 60 Years” by Ruben Martinez. As well as 9 short films made in Tocopilla that were presented at the city’s theater; there was also a talk between the national soccer player Jean Beausejour and the journalist Gonzalo Fouillioux, at the same venue. 
  • In August 2023 the 11th version of the Tocopilla Soccer Film Festival contest for short films was launched, which added new categories, attractive prizes of more than 1 million pesos and the possibility to be broadcasted on Emol TV.