ANNUAL REPORT 2010

Mercantil’s Social Contributions
Year 2010
Education 52%
Social Welfare 27%
Culture 6%
Health 8%
Religious Institutions 7%
Social Commitment
Since Mercantil was founded 85 years ago, it
has fostered, promoted and supported social development programs. One of its corporate
values is “to be an integral institution and an important factor in the development of the
communities in which it operates.”
Mercantil Servicios Financieros' social investment in 2010 totaled Bs 8.2 million, channeled mainly
through Fundación Mercantil and its subsidiaries in Venezuela and the United States. This sum
includes Bs 750,000 in contributions under the Science and Technology Act to support the
research and development projects of Venezuelan Institutions on new technologies.
Mercantil earmarked 52% of the contributions in this area for educational institutions and
48% for social development, healthcare, religious and cultural institutions.
Education
In 2010 Mercantil accentuated its support for primary education in Venezuela through its
“Give your School a Helping Hand” program which has been going strong for more than 27
years. In conjunction with the Foundation for Educational Buildings (FEDE - for its
abbreviation in Spanish) under the Ministry of Education, schools in Trujillo, Portuguesa,
Miranda, Carabobo and Guárico states were refurbished. A new program was also
implemented with the Fe y Alegría institution to strengthen the physical infrastructure of
schools in Monagas, Bolívar and Anzoátegui states.
Donations were made to the following universities in 2010: Católica Andrés Bello, Simón
Bolívar, Carabobo, Metropolitana, Monteávila, Central de Venezuela and Zulia. Their purpose
was to support student development and training activities and scholarship programs.
Social Development and Healthcare Programs
Mercantil supports various projects and initiatives by organizations that work directly with
children, youths and senior people in need. Their purpose is to help the population from
different areas of society and specifically through scholarship programs to give young people
access to work training activities; through nutritional care programs; children’s programs and
programs that provide equipment for people with physical or intellectual disabilities.
The main beneficiary institutions include: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Mother
Teresa of Calcutta Comedores Madre Teresa de Calcuta (COMATEC); Asociación Venezolana para
el Síndrome de Down; Federación de Instituciones Privadas de Atención al Niño, al Joven y a la
Familia (FIPAN); Fundana; Asociación Provida; Sovenia; Asociación Civil Buena Voluntad; Hogar
Vida Nueva; Centro al Servicio de la Acción Popular (CESAP); Centro El Portal, Alianza para una
Venezuela sin Drogas and Damas Salesianas.
Mercantil’s commitment to health is reflected in the specialized medical and hospital programs
it supports. These help children, young people and adults in need, including the Friends of
Children with Cancer Foundation; Fundación Cardioamigos; Hospital Ortopédico Infantil; Hospital
San Juan de Dios; Fundahígado; Acción Solidaria; and Salud y Familia.
Mercantil Servicios Financieros
87