 | Social Impact & Special Achievements | | | The social premiums generated from this Fair Trade business have been used to support a small community “daycare” that provides a snack to children in the late afternoon. In Argentina at approximately 5 or 6pm, it’s common to eat what is called a “Merienda” or snack. In the region of Lules and San Rafael (communities surrounding Multifrut’s facility), the communities are very poor and frequently children do not have a legitimate, real meal at all during the day. A woman in this community decided to start providing mate (local typical tea in Argentina) for free to children anywhere between three and seventeen years old in the community as frequently as she was able (self-funded). From the local government she obtained a donation of a small quantity of flour to make bread, but it was not enough to provide something to eat to the growing number of children that was seeking her support. The building where she provided this tea and Merienda to children was bare – no windows, no chairs, no tables, no running water, no bathroom. It was just an empty concrete room, and sometimes the minimal resources that she left inside were stolen because the building lacked secure windows and doors. Multifrut started donating to this project on its own. The added social premiums generated through the Fair Trade Organic Chia sales were able to affect a greater impact. To date, the social premiums have contributed to the following: - Greater quantities of flour to cook bread - Powdered milk - Chocolate - Rice - Three times/week: snack “Merienda” - One time/week: hot meal - Plastic tables and chairs - Running potable water and a sink installed - A stove with four burners and a small oven - A large pot for cooking large batches of tea - Door with a lock, and windows with bars being installed to protect the resources inside the building To date, approximately 70 % of the funds for this program come from Multifrut, and 30 % come from social premiums. |
