MACDESA mine is based in the community of Cuarto Horas, Peru, and was one of the first mines to achieve Fairtrade certification.
In the year 2000, over 500 informal gold miners came together to form ‘Minera Aurifera Cuatro de Enero S.A.’ (MACDESA). MACDESA is based in the community of Cuarto Horas, South Peru, and has been Fairtrade certified since July 2015, benefiting from over half a million dollars worth of Fairtrade Premium investments into a wide range of social, environmental and community projects .
‘With Fairtrade certification, we can sell our gold on better terms and invest in our community,’ says Santiago Ramirez Castro, General Manager of MACDESA.
Examples of Premium use include new accommodation and sanitary facilities for miners, work clothes for employees and technical equipment (pneumatic shovels, electric winches), as well as medical care and strategic investments to support the electrification of Cuarto Horas.
MACDESA have gone further still to invest in the future and wellbeing of the wider community. This has included contributing to the salaries of teachers in the Cuatro Horas and Chaparra districts and supporting local families through the construction of upgraded accommodation and the provision of financial support in the event of illness.
Investing in people is the best investment you can make. With Fairtrade it is possible to do much more and has meant better conditions not just for our families but also for the environment.
Fredy Quacana, MACDESA