In August 2019, a group of Wheeler Machinery Co., Salt Lake City, Utah, employees journeyed to Ecuador to serve the people of the Intag region located in the Andean mountains.
In August 2019, a group of Wheeler Machinery Co., Salt Lake City, Utah, employees journeyed to Ecuador to serve the people of the Intag region located in the Andean mountains. During the week-long expedition, the Wheeler team worked alongside villagers on the construction of a vocational center, Inta Kara. A multi-year project with three buildings planned, Wheeler's funds and labor helped accelerate Inta Kara's construction. Concrete was mixed, transported and poured to form columns and floors, drainage systems were buried and soil leveled.
Eighty-four percent of Intag's population lives at or below the poverty line and only 5 percent of youth have access to higher education. These factors led CHOICE, its in-country Ecuador team and local community leaders to formulate the concept of establishing a vocational center. Corporate partnerships such as the one between CHOICE and Wheeler are key to take Inta Kara from conception to completion by providing funding and the intermittent infusion of labor during its years-long creation.
Once complete, this innovative vocational training center will serve more than 1,500 families and provide many people with the opportunity to gain a nationally recognized certification in masonry, welding, carpentry and other specialties. The first of its kind in the area, the center will bring customized training solutions to these rural communities and create economic opportunities to break the cycle of poverty. Additionally, the center will serve as a hub for agricultural production and training to address food insecurity in Intag.
Dennys Flores, a 20-year-old whose family processes sugarcane said, "I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for all of the help you have offered for the construction of the Inta Kara Center. This is a worthwhile project that will benefit many people and will allow them to continue studying and have a profession that will benefit society."
Two of Wheeler's Guiding Principles are stewardship and service, and the company offers employees the opportunity to contribute their time and money to honor these principles by putting them into action. Employees are encouraged to participate in payroll contributions which Wheeler matches two to one and paid time off is available for employees wishing to perform hands-on volunteer work. In addition to CHOICE Humanitarian, Wheeler works with several other charitable organizations.
To learn more visit www.wheelercat.com/ecuador.
About Wheeler Machinery Co.
Wheeler Machinery Co., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a locally owned and operated Caterpillar and construction equipment dealer. Wheeler serves the industries of construction, mining, quarry and aggregate, agriculture, oil and gas and more. Providing repair and maintenance services, parts, rental, financing, consulting and training, Wheeler is a full-service provider for its customers. For more informatoin visit www.wheelercat.com
About CHOICE Humanitarian
The Center for Humanitarian Outreach and Inter-Cultural Exchange is a strategic non-governmental agency that connects motivated villages to resources and tools to provide the opportunity needed to change villagers' lives. By building skills, capacities and leadership, entire communities can break the cycle of poverty and attain a quality of life that offers opportunities in education, healthcare, economic development and healthy living conditions while upholding sustainable human habitat. For more informatoin visit www.choicehumanitarian.org. CEG
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