Relocating people or communities is generally related to an involuntary resettlement process, which implies a displacement that is physical (relocation or loss of housing), economic (loss of assets and/or sources of income) and/or sociocultural (loss of friends, neighbours, customs). This usually occurs when people and/or communities can´t refuse the loss of their lands due to the change in their use, which means that they must leave them either through an expropriation process or through negotiated agreements.
However, sometimes resettlement can be voluntary. This was the case for a single family in Ecuador, whose housing, farming and grazing land were near a mining operation and away from roads that take them to the nearest town. The mining company, consistent with its policy of social responsibility and security, and the family jointly evaluated relocation alternatives. The family, after several meetings with the company, expressed their desire to be resettled to a place that offers them greater facilities to carry out their daily activities, such as caring for their small garden and the domestic animals they own. They also prioritised being closer to communication channels that facilitate their access to health services, visiting friends, connecting with other residents, and attending the religious services of their community.
For this reason, the company asked SRK to prepare a resettlement plan for this family that meets their expectations of residing in a place where they can improve the social, cultural/religious and economic aspects of their quality of life. The company would then implement the necessary mechanisms so that the resettlement is positive for the family.
SRK developed the resettlement plan following the IFC Performance Standard 5 on Land Acquisition and Resettlement. Studies were carried out on the socio-cultural characteristics of the family as well as the place of resettlement. The property of the family was valued as well as the property in the place of resettlement. The house and other facilities were designed and conditioned in the new environment, to meet the needs of the family. Finally, a timetable for implementing the resettlement plan was drawn up. This culminated in December 2018 with the installation of the family in their new home.
Since the time the family was relocated, the company has continued to meet with them weekly and to monitor their well-being.
