Corporacion Multi Inversiones issued the following announcement on Nov. 28.
The Renace Hydroelectric Complex designed and implements seven sustainable social development programs that have generated a positive change in 29 Mayan Q'eqchi communities of the Alta Verapaz department, home of two national symbols: La Monja Blanca and El Quetzal.
The department, located about 200 kilometers from the capital of Guatemala, has incredible tourist attractions and its richness in biodiversity offers beautiful views that attract thousands of tourists. This region of 8 thousand square kilometers, where the Quetzal inhabits , also reflected in 2011 a fact that worries: more than half of the population lives in extreme poverty , according to the World Bank. The Rural Poverty Map 2011 concluded that Alta Verapaz was the department in the country with the highest incidence of rural poverty and its population was among the worst conditions.
The indicators reflect the severe poverty and inequality of the department. For example, 88% of the population lived in extreme poverty and only 33% had access to basic education. To this situation is added the persistent ideological conflict, institutional corruption, presence of organized crime, lack of legal certainty and little opportunities for local development. 27% of the population in Alta Verapaz had no access to electricity and 50% of households do not have potable water. The statistics began to change in Alta Verapaz once Renace arrived at the place. In 1991 and 1994 he obtained his legal authorization to operate and seven years ago he implemented a strategy of shared social value based on three main pillars:
1. REIR Values: Responsibility, excellence, integrity and respect.
2. Community relationship: Socialization and consultation processes, community and business collaboration, community consensus and absolute respect for the local culture.
3. Sustainable social development: Construction and implementation of community infrastructure, programs and economic development.
The strategy has been carried out through seven phases that have helped improve the quality of life for more than 21 thousand people in 29 Mayan Q´eqchi´ communities that live in the Cahabón river basin, in the municipality of San Pedro Carchá. By 2018, Renace made a social investment of US $ 30 million to benefit thousands of people from the Q'eqchi´ Mayan community. With this, it generated more than 15 thousand temporary, rotating and annual jobs in the municipality.
In addition, in the 29 communities neighboring the project, Renace has contributed to the reduction of 32.4% in chronic malnutrition in children under five. Teenage pregnancies decreased by 46% and there was a 15% increase in re-enrollment in primary and elementary school. Likewise, young people with technical skills increased by 206%. Renace helped reduce respiratory infections by 23% and diarrheal diseases by 13% in the 29 communities near the hydroelectric project.
International award
Reborn for 25 years has been a project that relates to the development of the country and promotes human rights. Its four plants are in cascade and have an installed capacity of 301 megawatts of clean and renewable energy delivered to the National Electrification System.
His vision of promoting sustainable social development of nearby communities, through the construction of critical community infrastructure, earned him worldwide recognition in 2018. Renace has seven sustainable social development programs in 29 Mayan Q'eqchi communities in San Pedro Carchá
Standard & Poor's awarded the Renace Hydroelectric Complex the "Corporate Social Responsibility Award - Diversified Program" for the shared social value strategy developed in Alta Verapaz. The recognition coincided with the completion of the construction project for phase IV and last of the hydroelectric complex The phase injected the national system with an additional 55 MW of clean energy Renace represents 16% of the country's energy matrix and its offer is the cheapest, which reduces the rate to the final consumer. It also supports achieving Goal 7 of the SDGs, which seeks to guarantee access to clean and sustainable energy.
Original source: https://www.cmi.co/es/item/553-los-7-programas-que-acercan-a-alta-verapaz-a-su-mejor-version
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