The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that devastated Ecuador on April 16, 2016, left hundreds dead, thousands injured and communities near its epicenter in ruins. Moderna Alimentos S.A., a subsidiary of Seaboard Overseas and Trading Group and parent company Seaboard Corporation, is working to supply much-needed drinking water to affected inhabitants and to the communities in which we operate. Overall health conditions are already deteriorating in the region. Reports of Hepatitis A, diarrhea in children, salmonella and intestinal amebiasis are just some of the side effects of consuming poor quality water. Bottled water is not a long term solution.

Throughout the month of July, Moderna Alimentos is installing a new water filtration system that once operational, will deliver a sustainable water supply to La Laguna, a small community in the province of Manabí (50 families will benefit from this purified water). Currently, the community is obtaining water from natural springs and pay US $2 monthly for consumption per family. Moderna Alimentos S.A. will not leave until the water meets the standards for human consumption and general hygiene.

The new water filtration will not only deliver clean water to Manabí citizens, but it will support local business and create additional jobs. During the month of August, we will report the progress about the delivery and the start-up of this project.

“Our Manta plant suffered some severe structural damage, requiring us to shut down factory production for three weeks, said Mariela Gomez, Director of Social Responsibility, Moderna Alimentos. “But more importantly, our community doesn’t have proper water for drinking, cooking and washing, and we have the knowledge and resources to change the situation. Local civic responsibility is part of our mission and at the core of our corporate culture and values.”