Juntos por la Infancia recognizes SQM and its corporate volunteer work
Five years ago, the mining company sponsored the María Ayuda residence in Iquique. Since then, it has co-developed and implemented a continuous improvement plan with the foundation that directly benefits the quality of life of children and adolescents.
Currently in Chile, around 4,700 children and young people who have been separated from their families are living in a shelter run by the Mejor Niñez network. Five years ago, SQM decided to sponsor the María Ayuda residence in Iquique through the 1+1 program organized by Juntos por la Infancia (JPLI). At the home, SQM and its volunteers have worked continuously on improvements that benefit the girls living there.
Because of this work, SQM board member Gina Ocqueteau received recognition on behalf of the company for its concrete efforts to help children in need of shelter, food, help and love at a breakfast to launch a new initiative seeking companies to sponsor a specific residence and execute an improvement plan.
“We are happy for each of these children. Beyond the recognition, today we reinforce our commitment to this great initiative that seeks to improve the quality of life and time that each child spends in one of the residences run by the Mejor Niñez network. Our volunteers are key to this contribution, as they are the ones who actively participate in these residences, and the work carried out by Juntos por la Infancia is fundamental to progress as a society,” said the executive.
Magdalena Simonetti, executive director of JPLI, highlighted the commitment of SQM and its volunteers, adding that “when a group of corporate volunteers is linked to national social causes or challenges, they feel more committed to their company, their work and it creates better labor relations.”
The Juntos por la Infancia project was founded in 2017 following a meeting of the 3xi initiative. It is part of Comunidad de Organizaciones Solidarias (COS), a non-profit organization that brings together more than 220 foundations and corporations (about 80 of them linked to children and youth issues).
