Sustainability
Here at Caballadas, we believe in the value of sharing our love of the mountains and natural places with others – but also know we need to take care of them if they are to be here for future generations.
We employ sustainable practices in our daily operations – everything from recycling in our offices and leaving only footprints on our adventures.
Organizations We Support
We support several worthy organizations that contribute to the betterment of societies and their environs around the world.
There are two local organizations that we partner with directly:
- La Liga
- The Parochial Agrotechnical School of the Sacred Family
We encourage you to learn more about these organizations (see below), and if you are feel their work is as important as we do, to help us support their efforts.
La Liga
La Liga (The League) is a volunteer organization that provides clothing and household goods to the members of the community surrounding the estancia
La Liga was born thanks to the tenacity, loving and caring of three sisters: Ofelia, Elena, and Lola Lagos Mármol, daughters of the Estancia’s founder, Don Juan Lagos Mármol. Their mission was to help the people that worked at the ranch, and the Mapuche native communities from the surrounding area. La Liga started in a large room at the very end of a barn, where family and friends would donate clothing, which was later distributed for free among the Estancia staff and other people in need.
When Lola passed away, Rosa Moreno (the wife of Don Juan’s son, Jorge Lagos Mármol) decided to take her place and continue the charity. Rosa was then 22 years old, and quickly realized that people were not taking care of the clothing that was being given to them for free. She decided that if they charged a small fee, the people might appreciate what was being given to them a bit more.
After this, people immediately began to take only what they needed, started to be more careful with the items that they selected, and valued them more.
At the same time, Rosa asked the family to increase their financial donations, so La Liga could buy other items such as sewing machines, wood burning stoves, cooking utensils, sleeping mattresses, blankets, and other basic items for the home. When the locals purchased any of these more expensive items, La Liga would assist them by financing the sale, allowing them to make long-term payments. With all the money that was collected, Rosa travelled to Buenos Aires and bought lots of goods, which were sent back to the ranch by train and trucks and provided to the community.
Forty-five years after La Liga’s birth, Rosa continues her hard work providing clothing to all the people in need in Quillen and neighboring areas.
The Parochial Agrotechnical School of the Sacred Family
The Parochial Agrotechnical School of the Sacred Family is a public institution, offering educational opportunities in agricultural studies to the community surrounding the estancia.
Father Valerio, the school’s founder, began his work in 1995, opening the first Agrotechnical School for youth who come from challenging backgrounds. He focused all of his attention on children from rural areas, and from neighboring Mapuche native Indian communities from the Aluminé area of the Neuquén Province. These children did not otherwise have the opportunity to attend school, or the ability to change their socioeconomic status.
The school consists of a six-year term, with the opportunity to graduate in two majors:
- Agriculture Technician with an animal livestock orientation.
- Agriculture technician with a vegetable / produce orientation.
School days are from Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm. On Friday afternoon, the students head back to their family homes, and return to school on Sunday afternoon.
Federal public funding is scarce in this area. While the state provides some funding, it is used primarily to pay teacher’s salaries and for the student’s food and housing. The school’s association is in charge of providing the rest of the funding. The challenge here is that this is a public school, free to all who attend, but its legal status lists it as a private institution, and therefore very little assistance or funding is granted by the state or federal government. It is the sole responsibility of the school, its associates, and private donors to spread the word about our school and its objectives, and to help us fund this incredible education program.
The youth that are currently attending our programs come from different places around our area. Their family economic situations do not allow them to afford an education, much less all that is needed to attend school. Things such as books, stationery, clothing, and linens, are just a few of the items outside funding is used to purchase... It is our wish to find help and support for these youth so they can have access to a decent education, with the hope of finding dignity in their work as part of their human development.
CABALLADAS is operated by Dolomite Mountains srl • European Office: +39 0471 840005 • info@caballadas.com
Credits: Italian Boulevard