La Guinea de Carrillo de Guanacaste inaugurates its new communal aqueduct system

San José, May 13, 2022. The La Guinea de Carrillo de Guanacaste community celebrates today the inauguration of its new communal aqueduct system, which will supply constant, sufficient and permanent drinking water to more than 1,228 inhabitants in the area. .

Specifically, the direct beneficiaries of the project are more than 65 families in the community made up of 128 men and 100 women. In addition, approximately 1,000 people benefit indirectly at harvest time. This project also generated 5 jobs.

The total investment was ₡45.9 million colones. The work was possible thanks to the non-reimbursable capital contribution granted through the Banco Nacional's Transforming Communities Program and the volunteer work and donation of the El Viejo Sugar Company and the La Guinea Aqueduct and Sewer Systems Administrator Association (Asada).

The project had a real cost of ₡45.9 million, distributed as follows: the company Azucarera El Viejo contributed ₡16.6 million colones, which included machinery, materials, and volunteer labor, which saved the project more than ₡11 million of colones. For its part, Asada La Guinea contributed ₡3.3 million and Banco Nacional made a deposit of ₡26 million that were invested in the communal aqueduct, hydrants, pumping system, distribution tanks and tank perimeter closure.

Improve the quality of life of the inhabitants
This project aims to improve the service and quality of water supply for human consumption, to strengthen the economic, social and productive development of the area, as well as improve the quality of life of the inhabitants of said community. This optimal drinking water system will allow the community to more efficiently develop the different activities of households, commerce, tourism and agriculture.

Due to the age of the service of more than 32 years, the problems in its flow and pressure, caused problems of shortages and deficiency in the water supply. Therefore, a change of main pipe and branches was urgently required. Due to this, it was necessary to carry out the project, but the community and the Asada did not have the necessary resources to solve this need. Banco Nacional and the company Azucarera El Viejo as socially responsible companies, which operate their business implementing a business strategy based on triple profit, decide to form an alliance and work as a team to achieve a greater impact in the community and together make this project a reality. that benefits so many people, commerce and agribusiness in the area.

“We are a bank with a purpose and we reaffirm that with facts. Facts! when we work to improve people's quality of life. Facts! when we take care of the welfare of people. For this reason, programs such as "Transforming Communities" seek to bring drinking water "a human right" to many regions of the country. Convinced of our responsibility as a bank, by promoting social and economic progress, always in harmony with the environment, we managed to be a Humane, Close and Sustainable Bank”, expressed Silvia Chaves, head of Sustainability of Banco Nacional at the inauguration of the aqueduct with community representatives.

BNmascerca Bank with Purpose
“It is a true honor to inaugurate a work of such importance for this community that will benefit hundreds of people. We are extremely pleased with the synergy that we were able to achieve with Banco Nacional and with the Asada of the community because it is thus, together, with common development objectives, that it is possible to advance and generate well-being for all. What we deliver today is not just an aqueduct, it is health, it is well-being for current and future generations,” said Alfonso Gómez, vice president of the El Viejo Sugar mill.

Thanks to this effort and the alliance with La Asada, the goals of Sustainable Development Goal 6 Clean Water and Sanitation can be impacted, since we help build resilient infrastructure that guarantees access to water.

The facts are demonstrated with relevant results
The "Transforming Communities" program was born 16 years ago with the purpose of providing non-reimbursable capital to promote sustainable productive businesses through community organizations attached to Law 3859 and Asadas.

In 2021, the Banco Nacional's Transforming Communities Program invested ₡293 million colones in different communities in the country, benefiting more than 56,000 people. Financing from Banco Nacional is related to the development of local economies through the imposition of community enterprises, the protection of aquifers, the construction of the necessary infrastructure for communal aqueducts, and the training of the community.