The Maule Economic Reactivation Fund is an initiative developed by Enel Generación Chile in conjunction with Asociación Sembra, with the objective of financing projects of local entrepreneurs who have been affected by the health restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Groups of entrepreneurs, individuals, formal and informal organizations belonging to the territory of the Pehuenche International Route and the southern shore of the Colbún reservoir, preferably, participated in this process.
This program has been adapted to be developed remotely with remote monitoring and delivery of funds through the assisted purchase modality due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first version of the Maule 2021 FRE (Economic Reactivation Fund) received 68 applications. The initiatives received came mainly from the towns of Paso Nevado, Armerillo, Pehuenche, La Suiza, Las Garzas, La Mina, El Médano, and the city of Vilches, as well as from the sector of the south bank of the high Colbún reservoir, such as La Guardia, Los Boldos, Rari, and Vilches.
During the evaluation process, a team of jurors decided to award 49 entrepreneurs in the area, five of them legal representatives of artisan groups, 34 of them women and ten men, in charge of carrying out various projects. The winning initiatives belong mainly to handicrafts, food sales, agriculture, beekeeping, and tourism.
The process of purchasing equipment and supplies for the entrepreneurs has already begun to gradually start to activate their businesses, which were affected by the Covid 19 contingencies.