In 2004, El Naturalista, an international shoe company with a social conscience, joined forces with the non-profit organization Asociación ProPerú to help educate children in living in rural and isolated areas of the Andes. This innovative collaboration between a fashion company and a non-profit organization is a unique model in the business world.
This collaborative effort was named ATAUCHI PROJECT; it represents El Naturalista’s commitment to help the most needy: the children.
El Naturalista funds the project by donating a portion of the profits from the sale of shoes in its Nasca line.
El Naturalista, a young and dynamic firm with a commitment to social responsibility, designs two collections of shoes each year: Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer. Each collection has different models of shoes inspired by unique cultures and places around the world. (www.elnaturalista.com)
For the 2004 Autumn/Winter Collection, El Naturalista introduced the NASCA line, which was inspired by the people, traditions, and culture of Peru. The name comes from the famous Nasca Lines of Peru, which stretch across the Pampas de Jumana like a giant map or blueprint. In 1990 UNESCO declared the Nasca Lines a World Heritage site.
Everyone at El Naturalista –executives, distributors, sales agents, marketing representatives, manufacturing workers, advertising personnel, design staff, stores employees as well as the people who wear our shoes– has enthusiastically embraced the humanitarian goals of the Atauchi Project and is committed to its success. Through their efforts Nasca has become the second most popular line of shoes in El Naturalista’s entire collection.
To date, El Naturalista has donated more than 180,000 Euros to fund the Atauchi Project’s two major initiatives. One program has helped to reconstruct several schools in Piura, a province in northern Peru. In addition to rebuilding the schools, the Project has also provided electricity and school supplies as well as funds to train teachers to work in rural communities. The second program, “The City of Hope”, is a home for disabled and abandoned children in the city of Arequipa.
The Atauchi Project reflects El Naturalista’s social conscience and its commitment to social responsibility – it is the human face of their company.
In December 2005, El Naturalista received a prestigious business award in recognition of their humanitarian efforts. The award was presented to Pablo de la Peña, El Naturalista’s CEO, by Yolanda Barcina, mayor of Pamplona, Spain.
In 2006, El Naturalista received an award of appreciation from ProPeru.
As a result of this, El Naturalista was given a business award in December
2005 as a recognition of its work in Peru. The mayor of Pamplona, Dr Yolanda Barcina, handed the award to Pablo de la Peña, the managing director of El Naturalista. Again, in 2006, ProPeru reiterated their gratitude to El Naturalista by giving a unique award for their solid support throughout the year.
You can see all the information from the project by visiting the following page www.proyectoatauchi.com, which has lots of information, including up to date news of what is happening in the project.
The Atauchi project has had important repercussions in the social media.
The Atauchi Project is an important part of all El Naturalista business interactions and has received media attention throughout the 50 countries where El Naturalisa shoes are sold, including the USA, Japan, Canada, Taiwan, Australia, and all of Europe. It is featured at major shoe shows and business conventions across the world, and in all of El Naturalista’s own retail stores.
