so, my little brother danny enjoys giving me a hard time about just about anything - and makes no exception for my somewhat idealized thoughts about the fair trade 'peace harmony love' process. i think that deep down he believes in it as well, but it certainly does present a prime opportunity to get a rise out of me.anyway, i digress - last weekend we got the chance to visit a place that actually sells their coffee through the peace coffee company. i want to write all about the experience, but for safety reasons i'm hesitant to disclose details and without having visited it's difficult to imagine - but i'll describe a little...and attach a few photos.
to begin: the sign at the entrance says of the community says, "together, we build a true democracy, with our hearts to the left". the community itself is a settlement of former guerrillas (people fighting against the government during the war) who had nothing after the signing of the peace accords. through a loan, they acquired their coffee growing land and began to build the type of community in which they desired to live.
they took us on a walking tour of their property. it's gorgeous country, and for me even more so knowing that it's collectively owned and people are benefiting, are being given the chance to
better their community due to their 'profits'. it certainly hasn't been an easy path - the leader with whom we met talked extensively of the paradigm shift they all had to undergo in order to change from 'campesinos trabajadores' (farmhands) to 'campesinos productores' (producers/business owners) and how that shift demanded that they organized themselves in a new way.they work extensively to meet the organic and fair trade requirements, they pay the necessary fees to sell in fair trade ($1,200/yr) and organic (approx: $3,000/yr) markets...and their profits aren't huge. their living standards are very basic - but they are grateful to have electricity, a school, and running water. above all - they spoke of gratitude to have opportunity.
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