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María Elena

Empowered Women: “En Las Calles Se Ven Los Gallos” project:

This project is a prototype plan that we implemented together with Transportes Nazar and lasted eight months, with the main objective of seeking to de-masculinize the transportation industry. 

Achievements:

  • Ten women were part of this program, and five of them completed the first cohort of “Proyecto Mujeres”.
  • They transported 45,000 kilograms of nitrate salt in a journey that takes almost 7 hours, starting at Nueva Victoria Falt Flats located in Pozo Almonte, and unloading in Coya Sur located in Maria Elena. 

Sustainable Maria Elena Program:

The Sustainable Maria Elena Program (MES) is an initiative born from its own living strength in order to boost and install a space for methodical and permanent dialogue. We discuss and deepen on topics such as society, culture, heritage, the elderly, sports, environmental and educational matters, plus all potential entrepreneurship, gastronomic and touristic opportunities that the area has to offer. 

Achievements:

  • The Malon Pampino conference brought together more than 15 social, educational, environmental, heritage, cultural and musical organizations. It was held to commemorate the first year of the Sustainable Maria Elena Program (MES). 
  • At a celebration day held for Responsible Care Day 2023, which is an initiative promoted in Chile by the Chilean Chemical Industry Association (ASIQUIM A.G.), the Sustainable Maria Elena Program (MES) received an award in the “Community Relations” category.

Recycling Program:

This program was carried out together with the Mr. Barber Foundation, the objective of this program is to implement and encourage recycling culture in educational establishments located in Maria Elena and Quillagua, including social organizations inside the territory, such as neighborhood councils.

Achievements:

  • Educational workshops on recycling.
  • To bring recycling culture to students from pre-basic to high school, reaching approximately 1,057 children and young people.
  • Development of the “Recycling in the Classroom and at Home” program.

Pioneer Training 2:

In partnership with the “Umbral” Foundation, we provide training to women in courses and trades that have been historically performed by men.

Achievements:

  • 67 women from the Maria Elena commune, located in Antofagasta Region, participated in these training courses.
  • The courses in which the women participated correspond to high tonnage truck operation, electrical operation, and B, D and AS driver’s licenses.

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.