Clara HidrónThird Sector Innovation: “Sustainability and Social Impact”

August 16 - 18, 2007

OUR EXPERIENCE WITH ORO VERDE IN COLOMBIA

• 1 of 25 most biodiverse areas in the world.

• Great cultural diversity.• Abundant natural

resources• Historic exploitation of

precious metals.

The Biogeographic Chocó

In 2005 79% of its population suffers from Unsatisfied

Basic Needs

Child mortality triples the

national average

13 million people displaced in

2004

Deforestation

Water contamination by toxic chemicals

Devastation of this strategic ecosystem

Revision of the Constitution in 1991

Law 70 of 1993

What is precious?

PRECIOUS IS A QUALITY THAT IS NURTURED.

AND WHILE IT MAY BE MORE EFFICIENT TO HARVEST OTHER GOLDS

IN MINES USING CYANIDE AND MACHINERY,

IN CHOCÓ COLOMBIA, GOLD IS NURTURED IN SOME OF THE RICHEST SOIL,

NEAR THE PUREST STREAMS,IN ONE OF THE LUSHEST ECOSYSTEMS ON THE PLANET.

AN ECOSYSTEM THAT THE PEOPLE OF CHOCO CALL THEIR HOME.

IT’S WHERE WE LIVE. THIS ISN’T A MINE.

Oro Verde Program

10 certification criteria

Raw, pure, alloyed metal and jewellery

Purchase and Transportation Chocó-Medellín

ManagementFinancesRegulation

Community monitoring system

IIAP: independent certifying body

COV

Ronald de Hommel

Diversification of production activities

The Challenges…

• Market development for a new product. • Limited financial resources.• Limited production of certified metals.• Informality of the sector and abandonment in the region

(education and employment).• Weak managerial and entrepreneurial capacities.

Ronald de Hommel

• Geographic isolation, climatic instability and precarious transportation conditions (expensive field work).

• Governance issues.• Effective empowerment.

• More than 1300 beneficiaries protect 7.900Ha of tropical rainforest.

Accomplishments

• Community strengthening, appropriation of the territory, knowledge transfer and increased income for mining communities.

• ARM is created with other organizations.• Exchanges with communities in other

countries. • Official declaration of mining areas of the

Community Councils (Tadó 34.929Ha and Condoto 72.006Ha).

• World’s first certification system for metals.

• Market development.

Lessons

1. Understand local dynamics and guarantee community participation.

2. Set up a team with a multidisciplinary vision, this will allow knowledge exchange and the appropriation of the initiative by its beneficiaries.

3. Ensure continuous monitoring and evaluation.4. Optimize investments and create synergies through

strategic alliances.5. Develop a strategy for the sustainability of the

initiative.

THE MOST LOVED GOLD ON THE PLANET

www.amichoco.orgwww.grengold-oroverde.orgwww.communitymining.org