Since the COVID-19 pandemic started well over a year ago, we have been working hard to ensure that our corporate social responsibility programme responds to the ever-changing needs of those in our local communities.

One of the countries we have placed a special focus on during this period is Uruguay, where deep impacts of the pandemic are still being felt, especially by those in more isolated regions and those with less economic stability.

Food insecurity – a lack of regular access to enough safe and nutritious food to lead an active and healthy life – has in recent years been a big issue in the country, affecting nearly a quarter of the population.

For some communities, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the severity of the issue, which can lead to further consequences including loss of productivity, a greater need for healthcare, stunted social and economic development and impaired learning across all age groups.

Given our local presence in each of our countries of operation, we are able to pay close attention to the greatest challenges facing local communities and carefully consider how we might be able to help.

In this case, several members of our Uruguayan team recently travelled from our national office in the country’s capital Montevideo to the department of Flores, which is home to our 50 MW Astidey wind project.

They spent the day in Juan Jose Castro, a town just a few kilometres from Astidey, delivering food baskets of non-perishable goods to those in need.

This initiative was a follow-up of our work with AUGPEE, Uruguay’s Private Electric Generators Association (which Cubico is a part of), early in the pandemic, which saw weekly meals – totalling more than 6,000 – delivered to families in need.

Through this partnership, we also helped to provide six breathing monitors and six respirators to the public health system, as well as retrofitting some existing respirators.

As a company, we remain committed to continuing this important work, both in Uruguay and globally, and will share further updates in the near future.