“When we arrived here, we noticed that the supply of trained professionals was very low. To reverse this situation, we undertook an extensive social action and managed to train 372 people, contributing to the project’s success”
To bring the Nova Olinda Park to life, 1,700 employees were hired. José Aparecido, one of the trained professionals, was beaming: “I thought the course was excellent and, thanks to the knowledge acquired in the classroom, I found a job. Here in our region, the job market is tough, so I can only give thanks", he said.
A future projected on clean energy generation and recycling
In addition to the technical courses, Enel Group promoted several education and management programmes, with practical and theoretical lessons on themes related not only to solar energy but also environmental preservation and valuing the culture and rights of the quilombolas.
“What gladdens me in such an initiative is that this is a project directed towards environmental goals and sustainability. A solar power plant brings not only development in the present, but it also allows us to dream of a better world through clean energy generation”
Dona Maria de Lourdes, a kind of matriarch of the Estreito and Eliezer quilombola community, located 25km away from the solar plant, was also very proud and the reason couldn’t be more unexpected: a square was named after her!
“I gladly donated the land for the construction of the small square and did not expect this tribute. During the day, the square entertains the children and, at night, everyone gathers there to chat. We are all very happy with the improvements made here”
Dona Maria de Lourdes square was built using residue from the Nova Olinda park construction donated by Enel. The leisure area was erected with the help of partner companies and involved 150 volunteers. During the project, wooden pallets and coils were reused and made into fences, benches and toys. The sustainability and social responsibility action was also replicated in the Saco/Curtume community and brought many benefits to the families who live in the region.
“We believe that the creation of shared value starts with respect for the culture and identity of local residents. Now, with the end of the works, we hope the community embraces the knowledge acquired and that the territory is ready to develop itself. This is what being sustainable means!”
