| Donate | • | Contact Us | • |  Coffee Kids UK |
• | Tell a Friend | • | A A A |
| about us | you can help | news | donate | shop | español | ck blog | home |
programs
The projects Coffee Kids sponsors are as unique as the communities where they are based. That’s because Coffee Kids helps communities develop their own programs creating self-sufficiency and ownership that afford coffee-farming families a higher quality of life while still working in coffee. (Click the map at right to view a larger version.)
Coffee Kids works supports 22 projects with 14 partners in five coffee-growing countries. Click on a country below to jump down the page and read about our partners’ efforts.
Peru – Costa Rica – Nicaragua – Guatemala – Mexico
You can also see where our partners work on Google Earth. Simply download the program at http://earth.google.com and install it on your computer. Then download the link below and double-click it to open up a list of all of Coffee Kids partners.
CoffeeKids_2009-2010.kmz
Peru
APROCASSI (San Ignacio Provincial Association of Coffee Producers in Solidarity)
San Ignacio, Peru
Microcredit for Education – New Coffee Kids Partner!
APROCASSI was founded in 2000 and comprises 491 small-scale coffee producers in the provinces of Jaen and San Ignacio in Northern Peru. The organization promotes gender equity, solidarity and respect for the environment in all of its activities.
During the months of March and April, when there is no income from coffee, many parents find it difficult to pay for their children’s education. With Coffee Kids’ help, APROCASSI will offer microcredit loans during these months to help cover school expenses. Project leaders will educate parents on the importance of school attendance, family planning and nutrition.
APROVAT (Association of Organic Producers of the Tabaconas Valley)
San Ignacio, PeruCommunity Grocery Store – New Coffee Kids Partner!
APROVAT was founded in 1997 in San Ignacio Cajamarca, Peru. The organization comprises 160 coffee producers who work to develop the local economy while simultaneously protecting the delicate environment of the remote Tabaconas Valley.
Given the valley’s location, access to quality foodstuffs is limited and markets for locally-produced goods are few. A group of 24 women working with APROVAT plan to open and manage a grocery store. Half of the store’s net profit will be directed into a fund to open similar stores in nearby villages and expand the flagship store.
AYNI (Cooperation Group for Social Development)
Cuzco, PeruGender Violence Eradication and Advocacy – New Coffee Kids Partner!
AYNI was founded in 1991 to tackle social problems that affect vulnerable sectors of Peruvian society. The organization promotes gender equity, citizen participation, and the rights of women and men to improve their quality of life.
Domestic violence is a chronic problem in Peru. The World Health Organization reports that 69 percent of Peruvian women have suffered some form of physical violence. AYNI will work to teach women about their rights and options for support. The organization will also help women form community advocacy committees to push for changes on a local level and provide solidarity to victims.
COOPACFSI (Frontera San Ignacio Agrarian Coffee Cooperative)
San Ignacio, PeruFamily Gardens and Small Animal Production – New Coffee Kids Partner!
COOPACFSI comprises 338 coffee producers in San Ignacio Cajamarca, Peru. For 40 years, the organization has worked to promote sustainable rural development through technical and entrepreneurial skills training. The cooperative places special attention on the family as a pillar of the organization.
This year, COOPACFSI is working to provide families with greater access to locally-produced food. Technical training and materials will help families grow a variety of vegetables and raise guinea pigs, and benefit from reduced food costs and a healthier diet.
Costa Rica
FHC (The Rural Children’s Education Foundation)
Costa RicaEducation and Scholarships – Coffee Kids partner since 1996
FHC Case Study (PDF; 156 KB)
Look at FHC photos on Flickr
The Rural Children’s Education Foundation (FHC) began in 1996 as an initiative to provide educational opportunities for the children of coffee farmers in 40 communities belonging to the cooperative COOCAFE in Costa Rica. Since its inception, FHC has provided educational opportunities to thousands of students.
Over the past two years, the organization created an innovative system to make the education project completely self-sustaining. FHC leverages government loans to provide scholarships and has created a trust with Coffee Kids’ help to provide financial guarantees on the loans. FHC will also provide scholarship recipients with computers. Over three years, students pay back the cost of the equipment plus interest, which allows FHC to purchase more equipment for other students.
Nicaragua
CECOCAFEN (Organization of Northern Coffee Cooperatives)
Matagalpa, Jinotega and Nueva Segovia, NicaraguaMicrocredit and Savings, and Scholarships – Coffee Kids partner since 1998
CECOCAFEN Case Study (PDF; 136 KB)
Look at CECOCAFEN photos on Flickr
CECOCAFEN, an association of coffee cooperatives representing more than 2,000 farmers in Nicaragua, manages two projects modeled on other Coffee Kids efforts. The Groups of Women Saving in Solidarity (GMAS) project supports microcredit and savings groups for women. Participants learn about financial literacy and gain access to small low-interest loans, which they invest in small businesses to strengthen the local economy. This year, the GMAS project will add a new component that teaches participants strategies for marketing their products.
The organization’s Rural Education Project provides scholarships to high school, vocational and university students. The project also offers work-study opportunities in their local cooperatives. By giving participants the opportunity to earn work experience, the project increases their chances for future employment and cooperatives benefit from an educated workforce.
SOPPEXCCA (Society of Small Producers for Coffee Export)
Jinotega, NicaraguaEnvironmental and Leadership Education – Coffee Kids partner since 2007
SOPPEXCCA Case Study (PDF; 144 KB)
Look at SOPPEXCCA photos on Flickr
SOPPEXCCA, an association of coffee cooperatives representing 650 farmers, manages two projects for youth in coffee-growing communities of Nicaragua. The Environmental Youth Movement and Coffee Children Projects work with teenagers and children at rural schools to identify local environmental issues and carry out education campaigns.
Students learn about environmental stewardship, leadership and democratic ideology through extracurricular activities and workshops. The projects’ goal is to nurture a new generation of people who have the confidence and leadership skills to improve their own quality of life, that of their community and their environment.
Guatemala
ACMUV (Chajulense Association of Women United for Life)
Chajul, GuatemalaMicrocredit – Coffee Kids partner since Fall 2007
ACMUV Case Study (PDF; 144 KB)
Look at ACMUV photos on Flickr
The Chajulense Association of Women United for Life (ACMUV), based in the community of Chajul, Guatemala, was formed in 2008 by a group of women associated with the Chajulense Association (a Coffee Kids partner in 2007-2008), to provide women with economic alternatives and a more prominent voice in the community.
ACMUV’s Microcredit Project provides business training and access to small loans to the women of Chajul and the nearby communities of Pulay and Tzotzil. Women learn to manage their own finances and small businesses, and contribute to the family economy.
ADESPA (Association for Sustainable Development of Paraxaj)
Aldea Paraxaj, GuatemalaChildren’s Nursery and Kindergarten, Health Care, and Artisan Production – Coffee Kids partner since 2006
ADESPA Case Study (PDF; 136 KB)
Look at ADESPA photos on Flickr
ADESPA, founded in 2004, works with families in Paraxaj, Guatemala and the surrounding area. Their goal is to improve socio-economic conditions by addressing a lack of health care and educational services.
ADESPA’s Health Workshops address pre- and post-natal care for pregnant women, as well as promote herbal remedies for common ailments. The Nursery and Kindergarten Project provides a safe space for children and promotes early childhood development so that parents can support their families. Women in the Handicrafts Project are learning new embroidery and shoe-making techniques and actively marketing their products in regional markets.
APROS (Association of Health Promoters of San Pedro)
Lake Atitlán, GuatemalaReproductive Health Care and Support for Widows – Coffee Kids partner since 1995
APROS Case Study (PDF; 156 KB)
Look at APROS photos on Flickr
APROS is an organization of female health promoters from six rural, isolated coffee-growing communities around Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. Their programs address the malnutrition that is prevalent in many communities around the lake and the lack of access to professional medical help.
APROS trains local health promoters who teach women pre- and post-natal care, the use of medicinal plants and the importance of a nutritious diet. A Widow’s Project offers medical check-ups, basic food supplies, recreational activities, and a sense of belonging for women who have lost their husbands to migration or civil war.
Mexico
AUGE (Self-Managed Development)
Veracruz, MexicoFood Sovereignty – Coffee Kids partner since 1995
AUGE Case Study (PDF; 176 KB)
Look at AUGE photos on Flickr
Based in the State of Veracruz, Mexico, (AUGE) works with coffee-growing communities to develop programs that combat poverty in some of the poorest areas of the state. Over the past 14 years, the Coffee Kids/AUGE partnership has promoted personal entrepreneurship through a microcredit and savings project called Groups of Women Saving in Solidarity (GMAS).
The Food Sovereignty Project, supported by Coffee Kids, complements AUGE’s microcredit program by providing low interest loans for the production of fresh, locally-grown food. Workshops encourage the creation of small vegetable gardens, the cultivation of heirloom varieties and the use of medicinal plants.
CAMPO (Center of Support for the Popular Movement of Oaxaca)
Oaxaca, MexicoRegional Training Centers – Coffee Kids partner since 1996
CAMPO Case Study (PDF; 152 KB)
Look at CAMPO photos on Flickr
CAMPO works with indigenous populations in Oaxaca, Mexico, to foster community involvement, sustainable agriculture, and an understanding of human rights. The organization supports projects including chicken-raising, organic honey production, worm-composting for organic family gardens, fruit and vegetable canning, and wood-saving stoves.
CAMPO is building demonstration projects in ten small villages to provide lessons in sustainable agriculture, ecology and food security.
FomCafé (Fostering Community Initiatives in Coffee Regions)
Oaxaca, MexicoCommunity Butcher Shop and Drug Store – Coffee Kids partner since 2000
FomCafé Case Study (PDF; 152 KB)
Look at FomCafé photos on Flickr
FomCafé works with coffee-growing communities in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. Project coordinators help families initiate and implement projects in edible mushroom production, microcredit and savings groups, family gardens, organic honey production and health education.
Women from two microcredit groups plan to open a butcher shop in the community of Los Naranjos Esquipulas and a drug store in the community of Zaragoza. These locally-run businesses will provide the communities with products at a lower price, a living wage to staff, and will increase the management skills of those involved.
ICSUR (Association for Research and Training of Southeastern Mexico)
Chiapas, MexicoTraditional Medicine and Environmental Education – Coffee Kids partner since 2006
ICSUR Case Study (PDF; 144 KB)
Look at ICSUR photos on Flickr
ICSUR supports social and economic development in the northern region of Chiapas, Mexico, home to several small-scale coffee-growing communities. Their chicken-raising project provides a local source of meat and eggs; their edible mushroom project uses organic waste to grow mushrooms. This year, 2 new projects will focus on traditional medicine and environmental education.
The Traditional Herbal Medicine Project will help eight communities establish herb and flower gardens and provide training for 12 promoters who will teach others in their community about herbal medicines. The Environmental Education Project will focus on proper waste disposal, recycling and composting. Nine bilingual educators and 18 community promoters will receive training.