News
In María Elena’s Therapeutic Senior Greenhouse, a unique space full of life, learning and hope is flourishing. This green oasis not only provides knowledge about growing food, but also promotes the integral well-being of the participating seniors.
Inaugurated in 2023 and built with recycled materials, the project is promoted by SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition and executed by Fundación Mr. Barber. It has become a community meeting place that promotes social cohesion through activities like farming, cooking and self-care.
On the matter, Leonor González, Head of Pampa Community Affairs for SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition, commented: “This project is our emblem as a company, because it reflects our entire culture related to strategic alliances, building skills for personal development and generating community.”
Johan Rojo, Head of Communications for Fundación Mr. Barber, remarked: “Beyond the agricultural or agro-educational approach that we use with the beneficiaries, the project also addresses other lines related to sustainability.
For example, the greenhouse sustainably uses organic waste, which is collected from the Traveling Farmers’ Market that comes to the town twice a month. Market vendors sort their organic waste, which is transformed into natural fertilizers used both in the therapeutic senior greenhouse and in local school gardens.
“We are part of this circular economy. All the market vendors actively participate to recycle organic waste, which later becomes fertilizer used on the plants here in the desert,” said Ivonne Castillo, president of the Manuel Rodríguez Traveling Farmers’ Market Vendor Association.
The greenhouse has also become a space for learning and personal growth for the project’s volunteers, as confirmed by Iris Cortés, a volunteer for the past three years: “One is born again here, because with our work we help take care of the environment by planting and protecting the plants. We are very happy with how the greenhouse has developed.
Through this initiative, SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition reaffirms its commitment to the development of people and sustainability, promoting initiatives that foster collaborative work, inclusion and community well-being.