Its a private company that works with mixed funds, Chilean (LICAN Alimentos S. A.) and Paraguayan (Moises Bertoni Foundation).
The problem:
LICAN was born as an initiative between MBF, LICAN Alimentos Chile, the Municipality of Asuncion and members of civil associations who demanded a solution for a serious environmental problem related with urban areas’ water courses contamination in Paraguay.
Approximately 20,000 liters of bovine blood until 1998 where daily thrown into water courses Mburicao and Itay, at Asuncion’s bay, as slaughter house waste of the area. This contamination affected thousands of poor and middle income level Asuncion families.
The Solution:
Thanks to funds of Switzerland Foundation AVINA and LICAN Chile (with its own resources), the MBF developed an alliance and have formed a company that integrates a sustainable development and corporative business vision.
The project was initiated by processing bovine blood in five slaughter houses, in order to obtain animal plasma; a highly protein powder for animal consumption, with is exported to Asian and Latin-American markets. LICAN’s innovation is to be one of the few Paraguayan initiatives directed by an NGO, for the solution of a urban contamination problem through the establishment of a private industry in alliance with different partners and countries.
There are three levels into the Project’s impact: It is a virtuous circle of funds where more work opportunities mean additional funds for sustainable development programs, with rural communities of low incomes (women, young, and adults). These programs are being carried on by the MBF, and represent an immediate solution for the problem of blood contamination in waters.
Since 1998 LICAN has many positive impacts:
To avoid the closing on 5 slaughter houses of the area by monthly processing more than 400,000 liters of cattle blood.
By solving serious problems related to health: bacteria diseases transmitted by vectors that affected low income communities.
Solving the smell produced by this contamination.
LICAN has created more working opportunities for 13 communities and has avoided the spill of a highly toxic substance in water courses around Asuncion city (with more than 509,190 inhabitants).
Besides, the exportation of a high quality product has generated incomes to the country.
During 2002 LICAN was given the National ADEC reward: “Company with higher impact in the community”.