El Abra, a Freeport-McMoRan Company, Awards 66 Scholarships Through the Indigenous Scholarship Program

July 21, 2015 /3BL Media/ - El Abra recently announced the 66 recipients of its annual Indigenous Scholarship Program. Everyone who applied this year was awarded a scholarship.

El Abra increased the number of scholarships available – nearly double the number from last year – to ensure that each of the 66 youth who applied had the opportunity to receive one.

The goal is to strengthen El Abra's commitment to the development, education and training of members of the indigenous communities surrounding mining operations.

This year's recipients included students from the Alto El Loa Province villages of Caspana, Toconce, Conchi Viejo, Cupo, Ayquina, Chiu-Chiu, Lasana, Estación San Pedro, Taira, Ollagüe and Ascotán. Nearly half were first-time Indigenous Scholarship recipients, and women represented 65 percent of the recipients.

The Indigenous Scholarship Program was initiated in 2003 and to date has awarded 250 scholarships. The scholarship is available to eligible students in need of tuition assistance at any university or technical studies program. 

For more information about Freeport-McMoRan’s community engagement programs, please see http://www.fcx.com/sd/community/indig_people.htm.

For more information on all of their social, safety and environmental program, please see their 2013 Working Toward Sustainable Development report.