In the heart of Chile’s wine country, the rural municipality of Curacaví is tackling a problem that’s both urgent and universal: waste management.
With a population of over 32,000 people spread across 431 square miles, and no local landfill, garbage must be transported over 62 miles for disposal. The result? Soaring municipal costs, micro-dumps, and growing health and environmental risks.
Rotary Club Curacaví has a clear, actionable plan: build and equip a trash compaction and recycling facility that will dramatically reduce transportation costs, eliminate illegal dumping, increase collection frequency, and improve the health and cleanliness of the entire region. The municipality has already committed to providing the building, staffing, and long-term operational support. Now, they need our help to make it happen.
This is not a first-time effort. It is the third successful collaboration between the Curacaví club and international Rotary partners. Their past projects—a mobile dental clinic and a state-of-the-art physical therapy center—were delivered on time, on budget, and are still operating today. This is a club that knows how to deliver results.
The groundwork is already laid. A strong Rotary Friendship Exchange between District 6250 and District 4340 in Chile, including Rotary leaders such as Past District Governor Roberto Silva, has created lasting personal and professional relationships. When members of District 6250 visited Curacaví in March 2025, they met with the mayor, an English-speaking parent of a U.S. college student with a deep commitment to his community, and confirmed strong municipal support for the project.
Here’s the magic of Rotary: every $1 our club contributes becomes $4.60 through matching funds from our District and Rotary International. That means small contributions grow into transformational impact.
Details:
- Project budget: $116,622 USD
- Local commitment (Club + District): $43,043 USD
- International partners needed: To help fund and launch the project on the TRF platform
This is a high-leverage, shovel-ready, sustainability-focused project, and an incredible opportunity to be part of something that will clean up communities, cut costs, and change lives. The Mt. Horeb Rotary Club is the International Partner. The Global Grant and backup documents have been written and fundraising has begun.
Let’s turn trash into transformation, together!
For more information or to join as a funding partner, contact Gary Tree via gjtreehouse@gmail.com to be a part of Global Grant #2341120.