Julian Betancourt
Heidi Maldonado
Universidad Externado de Colombia
Gustavo A Yepes López
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In the middle of the thick Colombian jungles, 200 indigenous and peasant families from the Departments of Putumayo and the Amazon extract the seeds that replaced weapons, planting illicit crops, trafficking and hopelessness. “Now we see the native fruits of our exotic land blooming, finding our identity, our productive vocation in the Colombian Amazon region. The logging of rainforests has been left in the past by a culture that hurt our Amazonian soils to death, gradually annihilating the source of life on our planet”. Says Maria Esperanza
NATURAL KATTALEI offers alternatives for the use of natural and biodegradable cosmetic products, with fruits and seeds grown and extracted from the Amazon rainforest in a sustainable way, benefiting many peasant and indigenous families in the region.
Relationship with the SDGs
The mission of Kattalei, is directly related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in the commitment to health and well-being offering high quality products that do not generate health impacts, which mitigate environmental pollution and encourage reforestation in jungle areas.
They promote the eradication of poverty in the region of Putumayo and Amazonas, where social inequality has been a constant, for this reason they firmly believe in the possibility of decent work and economic growth at the same time, promoting fair trade throughout the chain, under the production and responsible consumption of raw materials. With a view to forming alliances with the different State and non-governmental entities in order to achieve the objectives, primarily in the stability of peace and respect for human rights in our country.
KATTALEI offers personal and cosmetic hygiene products based on fruits, seeds and oils, grown and extracted by the hands of peasants, indigenous people and vulnerable population who work day by day turning these inputs obtained from the jungles of the Amazon region and Putumayo into exotic natural personal care and cosmetic products, which contribute to the environment by being biodegradable. In addition to the various benefits of these products, KATTALEI contributes to the reduction of environmental pollution thus providing a product of easy biodegradability in water sources and ecosystems. On the other hand they encourage the population to cultivate and extract plants such as Sacha Inchi, Copoazu and Cacay in these areas, motivating farmers and extractors to consolidate their crops in a technical way with higher yields, with high quality and in a sustainable way not only to be suppliers of KATTALEI but of other markets that exist and are increasingly demanding of these raw materials inside and outside the country.
As part of their innovation they promote the reforestation and protection of plants and trees of the region that provide the raw materials for cosmetic products, being used in a sustainable way, since logging or deforestation is not required. Another of its aims has been to strengthen the productive vocation of the region, encouraging the abandonment of illicit crops in the area.
"Change is possible, if we all contribute a grain of sand," concludes Maria Esperanza
“KATTALEI is a thought that was born from a feeling and leads to a way of life” says Maria Esperanza. The native fruits of the Colombian Amazon today represent a valuable source of health and beauty that can be transferred to anyone who appreciates its benefits through science that opens the doors to a healthy world and exotic beauty such as natural cosmetics.
The benefits of natural products and their contribution to the conservation of the environment led its founder Maria Esperanza to investigate the techniques of making this type of products to be able to make soaps, conditioners, shaving foams, body masks, balms, shampoos and different treatments. Nine different products have been innovated with Sacha Inchi Oil and Copoazu Fat, which has expanded and strengthened the supplier network.
This family business has carried out a whole process of training in the development of natural products with artisan techniques based on natural chemistry, investigation of properties of oils, manipulation for their transformation and finally a process of experimentation to consolidate the products offered in the market and most importantly they contribute to the social and sustainable development of the region.
From the outset, KATTALEI’s mission has been to promote the sustainable development of the region, which is why they decided to link up with the National Government program called ZOMAC (Areas most affected by the armed conflict) which has contributed to the growth and economic and social development of families that have affected by violence because of this conflict, providing decent and safe work for all.
Every day there is more enthusiasm to learn how to join this supply chain as suppliers and distributors based on fair trade, with which new and small businesses flourish.
KATTALEI in constant alliance with associations of peasants and indigenous authorities of the region have encouraged the cultivation and extraction of fruits and plants in a responsible manner with communities and the environment.
“KATTALEI has managed to consolidate a mission and vision strengthened by the experience of the relationship with customers, distributors, suppliers and with the entities of the Department of Putumayo such as the Chamber of Commerce, Gran Tierra, Corpoamazonia and Instituto Sinchi, that are focused on developing the productivity in the region in a manner consistent with the vocation of the Amazon without devastating it and, on the contrary, recovering and protecting it, ”says Maria Esperanza.
Currently, KATTALEI reports a monthly sale of $ 20,000,000 Colombian pesos and with a view to high growth. In addition, it generates a total of 34 direct and indirect jobs, most of them victims of the armed conflict and mothers who are heads of households. One of its strategic suppliers im the Amazon of Colombia supplies Sacha Inchi’s oil and works with 40 seed-growing families in the Municipality of Villagarzon, Putumayo.
Maria Esperanza explains that “The company has grown rapidly and has been able to take part in and take first place in several business innovation and strengthening competitions that have contributed to access to resources that allowed obtaining raw materials and equipment for improving production and sales conditions”
AWARDS:
Citi Award to the micro entrepreneur at the national level 2019- Award given to companies that generate a high impact in the region granted by Citibank.
First place in the Putumayo 2018 green business contest, “an opportunity for sustainable regional development granted by CORPOAMAZONIA.
First place at the national level of the INNOVA 100K-2018 national innovation contest, awarded by Colciencias and Confecamaras.
"Change is possible, if we all contribute a grain of sand," concludes Maria Esperanza.
All its products are biodegradable and promote the reforestation and protection of plants and trees such as Copoazu, Canangucha and Andiroba, typical of the region, being used in a sustainable way.
“We are encouraged by the fact that every day many people become aware of a conscious personal care for the environment and society”. Points out Maria Esperanza.
KATTALEI aims to strengthen the productive vocation of the region, encouraging the abandonment of illicit crops and the appropriation of their own crops in the area. For this reason, the company constantly builds alliances with organizations such as ASOITAM (Association of Indigenous Authorities of Tarapacá), the Institute of Scientific Research (SINCHI) and SENA, that provide training and technical assistance by expert staff to their growers, extractors and other provider networks. “We are creating awareness about the personal care and harmony of the human being with nature through the care of their environment” says Maria Esperanza.
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Maria Esperanza Quitian Caro, Manager
KATTALEI NATURAL offers alternatives for the use of natural and biodegradable cosmetic products, with fruits and seeds grown and extracted from the Amazon rainforest in a sustainable way, benefiting many peasant and indigenous families in the region.