For six years, Marc Anthony Huaman lived in a world devoid of sight. He was born without eyelids and a protective membrane quickly formed over his eyes. And though he lived only 20 minutes from a hospital, the smallest thing kept him from receiving the treatment he desperately needed. He had no ID.
As part of a National campaign to deliver Identification Documents to Peruvian citizens, Candente Copper Corp [TSX:DNT] worked with the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status and helped Huaman obtain his ID.
With ID, the boy was immediately transferred to a specialized clinic where his eyelids were recreated. Because he was without eyelids for so long, it’s not likely he will regain full sight but doctors remain hopeful that with therapy, he will be able to recover some vision.
Candente Copper Corp, a Canadian company developing the Cañariaco Norte copper project in Northern Peru could tell dozens of personalized stories like this where, with the company’s support, small changes have made big differences in the lives of rural Peruvians.
Stories like how 400 people from the Canaris District in Peru recently received eye glasses through a partnership struck between Candente Copper, the local Lions Club and the Clinton Giustra Sustainability Global Initiative.
And how an additional 38 people will receive much-needed cataract surgery in April.
Candente is spending almost 10 percent of its total budget on projects that will have long-term benefits for the local community. The programs are open to anyone in the community, so people can benefit even if they do not have ties to Candente or the Cañariaco project.
“Increasingly investors are asking us what we are doing to earn the social licence to operate in the community,” says Joanne Feeze, president and CEO of Candente Copper Corp. “But, to us, it’s about more than business. Relationships are built on trust. As a guest in this community, we must show respect for the people and earn their trust.
In July of this year the company began a project which has helped 216 families improve farming practices to grow organic coffee. After conducting a farmer field school to teach modern fertilizing and pest management practices, in conjunction with a Comite De Gestion de Desarrollo, a management group comprised of 30 hamlet representatives, a micro-finance project was created that provides farmers with organic fertilizers.
Tantaricio Mariano Barrios is one coffee farmer who has begun to reap the benefits. Not only are his coffee plants healthier, but his income has doubled to $200 a month. That’s a story.
“We’re focused on local, tangible changes,” said Freeze. “Programs that improve life right now for the most vulnerable, like children, and education that will improve quality of life for years to come.
Recently, Candente pledged $200,000 over two-years to Save the Children, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.
With Candente’s contribution, Save the Children will be able to improve access to quality care for children under the age of five in the Kañaris district; provide vaccinations and anemia treatments; offer workshops and fairs on proper nutrition in early childhood, consumption of safe water and good food handling practices; and build community playrooms that promote positive relationships and reduce violence in families.
These are just a few examples of how a responsible and ethical miner makes a positive impact in the communities in which it operates every day. And Candente certainly isn’t the only mining company striving to meet society’s needs for mineral and metal products in the most conscientious way possible.
But while miners are great at talking about things like pounds per tonne, stripping ratio and return on investment, most don’t stop and tell the human stories. The human stories that show mining is about more than just doing what’s to get a permit. The human stories that highlight the synergy one company can create in a small, faraway place. And the human stories that teach us going the extra mile can make all the difference.
So whether it’s a child who gets to go to school, a farmer learning skills that will increase his yield and improve his financial situation or a young boy seeing for the first time, let’s start telling these stories.