The Civilian company Cepil has been receiving National Vanguard status for two consecutive years, and for more than 60 years working against all odds, so this May Day has a lot to celebrate:

«Cepil's main achievements are to keep fulfilling all its plans, not leaving workers interrupted, having a salary guarantee for everyone, applying the circular economy, because we have not received imported raw materials for more than three years. Today in my country there’s a lot of talk about the circular economy and we’ve been developing it for more than three years, since we use the raw materials that other organizations have that transform plastic in Ciego de Ávila, to which we are linked," said Oscar Morales Jiménez, who leads a group that, where others would see impossible, they find opportunities:

«Cepil is designed for three work shifts. As a result of the issue of electrical energy, we had to take two shifts, because we cannot work during peak hours, so with that personnel, instead of sending them home, what we did was create a recovery brigade that was in charge to transform, for example, the bags that previously went to the garbage dump, which were not even collected as raw materials because they do not degrade, today we turn them into raw materials and from there we make buckets, jars, basins, other types of products, with that recovered raw material.

Cepil products are one of a kind in the country, because although there are 24 companies that transform plastic, only this entity in Ciego de Ávila produces household supplies. However, that is not the only thing that distinguishes them: "we sponsor a fairly large community, which currently has five vulnerable families who are already part of Cepil's workers, because after you visit them, you have contact with them, it was all a commitment. Besides, we take care of six mothers with more than three children, a clinic, a store, a school, a day care center, which we also support in different ways, we participate with them in voluntary work, we welcome the neighborhood, taking care of the means and facilities of the community,” Oscar highlighted.

They have supported a significant number of workers in improving their homes and they do not stop dreaming and putting their hands to work to achieve new goals: "we have reached for our colleagues in the Revolutionary Armed Forces, from military commerce, and we are building together a children's house. We are close to opening a covered cultivation house, which will not only be for self-consumption and the sale of products to our workers, but also for the community. We have a small clinic in our company with a dentistry office where a doctor and a dentist come every week to check on our workers and the community.

Cepil's biggest clients right now are stores, tourism, entities that generate income in foreign currency; however, they guarantee the presence of their products for the community, with a more favorable price, in a retail point of sale that operates in coordination with the local Government and the CDRs.

The people from Ciego de Avila have been preparing for weeks to parade on May Day. They will go with the enthusiasm that characterizes them and a motto that they take very seriously: Cepil Aims for More!

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff