This Project is part of the ODS 5, 8, 12 and 17
The Pehuenche International Route is increasingly attracting interest as a tourist destination both regionally and nationwide. It is recognized as an international corridor with outstanding natural attractions, including hot springs, rivers, and snow-covered mountains that can be visited all year round. Enel worked with local communities, and together they identified a need to promote a local identity, recovering traditions in arts and crafts and wisdom along with sustainable development methodology. That is how the Ruta Pehuenche Entrepreneurs Program was born to promote economic development by improving the families' capacity to generate income and foster organizational and commercial capabilities. A total of 80 people joined the business training initiative, 70 of which were women. All were keen to get more involved in regional development while at the same time using resources more sustainably and adhering to the principles of the circular economy.
The project consists of transferring skills and capabilities (learning on the job) and implementing eco-techniques (applying eco-friendly technologies to find solutions for water, food, housing, energy, and sanitation challenges). All of this is to be carried out while adhering to the principles of the circular economy. By reusing wood from the Los Cóndores Hydroelectric Project and volcanic stones from the Invernada Lagoon and obsidian from the Maule Lagoon, both of which are recognized as strategic basins for hydroelectric and agricultural development.
The project aims to foster integration with the regional development process while at the same time optimizing the use of local productive resources.
In association with the Asociación Sembra, Enel held five workshops in 2019 in the "La Mina", "Paso Nevado", "Armerillo" and "Las Garzas" communities, that were equivalent to about 130 hours of training per person. The workshops gained approval from sanitary authorities, which has allowed them to reuse waste materials from the Los Cóndores Power Plant, which is currently under construction. The entrepreneurs have formed the CREATERRA company, through which they market their products.
In 2020, the ventures were negatively impacted by the absence of tourists due to Covid 19. Still, they showed initiative to adapt to the circumstances. Two of the SMEs in the Armerillo and Pehuenche sectors manufactured 7,000 protective masks for people who Enel Chile later donated to social organizations in San Clemente.
This project is due to finish in 2021 with the construction of two workshops to make and sell products on the International Route. One of the workshops is located in the La Mina Sector at km 100 and another in the Pehuenche Sector at km 65 on land on loan from Pehuenche S.A.
