Avianca, Expeditors deliver school kits made with recyclable materials

Avianca Cargo and Expeditors, as part of Earth and Children's Day, held their first donation event of school kits in Cartagena, to children who are part of the programmes of the organisation Aldeas Infantiles SOS in Colombia, an ally of the airline, which is dedicated to taking in thousands of children, adolescents and young people who have been separated from their families of birth.

These kits were manufactured by members of the Fundación Acción Interna, with more than 500 kg of reusable materials from passenger and cargo operations, such as airplane seat covers, curtains, among others, preventing them from ending up in landfills or in the ocean.

“Proud to work hand in hand with great partners such as Expeditors and Aldeas Infantiles, developing circular economy projects to further deepen our sustainability practices, generating positive social impact and environmental awareness in communities. This is the first delivery of this initiative to further strengthen our commitment to children, communities, and the environment," said Gabriel Oliva, COO of Avianca Group.

"At Avianca Cargo, our commitment to sustainability is built day by day. We are excited to make a positive contribution to the well-being of communities and the environment by providing them with school supplies. We have made this project a reality that allows us to continue improving as a company," stated Diogo Elias, senior VP of Avianca Cargo.

"From Expeditors we are pleased to be part of this great project that, since a few months ago, we have been planning together with our partner Avianca to make it possible for children in Cartagena to know the purpose of the circular economy, the value of reusing materials. We have taken the first step of a great project of sustainability and social impact," said Diego Estrin, Expeditors' director for Latin America.

"It fills us with satisfaction as an organization to work hand in hand with partners such as Avianca and Expeditors, who contribute directly to the construction of a better country together with the mission of Aldeas Infantiles and who care responsibly for the planet, society, children, youth, adolescents and their families and their development," held Esteban Reyes, national director of SOS Children's Villages in Colombia.

In addition to the donation, the space included recreational activities and the planting of seeds that energised the meeting and raised awareness about the care of planet Earth; special workshops conducted by Avianca's sustainability and environmental management area, focused on environmental education for children, in which they were taught the importance of giving a second use to materials to mitigate the environmental impact they generate.

This alliance between Avianca and Expeditors ensures the first delivery of several that will continue to benefit some populations in the country. It also reaffirms the companies' commitment to socio-environmental development and circular economy initiatives that benefit different communities, thanks to the support of organisations such as Aldeas Infantiles SOS in Colombia, this is now a reality.