• The initiative, which included constructing a multi-purpose court and locker rooms and remodeling the school’s bathroom facilities, was carried out by Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores as part of its social investment plan in the San Antonio district.

August 16, 2023. As more than 800 students from the Padre André Coindre Elementary School looked on anxiously from their new bleachers, regional authorities, representatives from local companies and the community gathered today to inaugurate and officially hand over the sports facilities to the school. The project included constructing a new multi-purpose court and locker rooms, in addition to remodeling the existing bathroom facilities and multi-purpose room, leaving everything ready for the school community.

It was developed and financed by Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores, as part of its social investment plan for the port community, and in response to the priority needs raised by the school. The work took almost a year and was carried out in collaboration with the Huella Local Foundation.

Daniel Silva, the school’s principal, pointed out that “around two years ago Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores asked us what our needs were, and since then we have seen a change, since they cared about what we needed. Today, as we see this dream come true, we can only be grateful because this directly improves the quality of life of our students, and that is part of our mission.”

Construction began in January 2023 and included a 770 m2 multi-purpose court, which can be used for a variety of sports, as well as for cultural and school activities thanks to its new stage. The multi-purpose court has inclusive entryways and two new locker rooms. The remodeled facilities included new bathrooms for the preschool and elementary school, as well as special spaces for people with reduced mobility. The total cost of the project was more than Ch$400 million, fully funded by Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores.

Oscar Hasbún, CEO of CSAV, stated that “we have made a commitment to this school, which is part of a port community where we have been present for years. Today we are doing this by working with the community, because we are certain that improving their environment will allow for more fruitful schooling and more favorable conditions for the development of the children of San Antonio.”

The inauguration ceremony was attended by local authorities such as the District 7 congressional representative, Camila Rojas, and the mayor of San Antonio, Constanza Lizana, who commented that “we are very happy with this new court at Padre André Coindre School. The project was not seamless, but thanks to the efforts we have been making with the DAEM for the last two years and the important contribution from Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores, today the school community’s wish has come true, manifested in a tremendous investment available to the children of this school and the community of San Antonio.”

The work carried out before starting construction was developed in conjunction with the Huella Local Foundation, which organized collaborative sessions where teachers, parents and students could express their needs and dreams for these areas in the school.

Huella Local’s executive director, Gonzalo Vial, said that “these works demonstrate the commitment that companies have in the communities where they are located. The collaborative sessions were fundamental for us, because we learned about the real needs of the educational community regarding these spaces and how to represent them in the design.