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Coffee with a Conscience: Nicaragua Study Tour |
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January 5-14, 2007
by Summer Lewis
In early January of this year, twenty current and soon-to-be Fair Trade advocates and coffee lovers traveled to Nicaragua for 10 days to learn about this unique country, coffee farming and Fair Trade. Our travel group included representatives from Lutheran World Relief and Equal Exchange, delegates (the majority Lutherans) from around the country, and our fearless trip leaders from the Augsburg College Center for Global Education.
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Group photo of the delegation,
author is second from right |
Arriving in Managua, we were greeted with sunny, ninety-degree weather (a lovely break for many of us hailing from chilly areas). Our first day was relaxing, allowing us to get to know each other and to prepare for a week of learning and reflection. After meeting with our study tour guides, Juan Carlos Lopez and Joe Connelly, our group met with Mark Lester at the Center for Global Education's Managua office. Mark, the CGE's co-regional Director, provided an extensive overview of the history of Nicaragua and the events leading up to the current social, political, and economic situation. Meeting later with Bill Weaver, director of Lutheran World Relief in Nicaragua further reinforced what we had learned that morning. Our study group learned more about the accompaniment work LWR is doing at the grassroots level--working in partnership with local NGOs and Nicaraguans. To finish off a busy, learning-packed day, those of us from Equal Exchange (myself, Aaron Dawson, and Kalista Popp from the Interfaith Program and Brian Crouth from the Organizing Department) presented information about Equal Exchange, Fair Trade and Equal Exchange’s Interfaith Program.
The following morning, Sunday, our study group was warmly received by Bishop Victoria Cortez and her Lutheran congregation in the Monseñor Lezcano Neighborhood. After introducing ourselves and singing a song for the congregation, we were able to share an intimate conversation with Bishop Cortez as she told us about her call to Nicaragua and the Lutheran church, as well as her congregation. Mid-conversation, the congregation's youth group arrived from an extended retreat and our study group witnessed a warm reuniting of youth with their parents and loved ones. After seeing such a touching reception and celebration, our group was treated to some Managua sight-seeing. We visited some of the historic landmarks in Nicaragua's capital city. That evening we prepared for a departure from the city and a visit to the "campo"--we would be staying with coffee farmers the following evening in a small community in Matagalpa, the primary coffee growing region of Nicaragua.
On our journey Monday morning in our mini-bus, we traveled from the sprawling Free Trade Zone and neighboring settlements as we exited Managua, to the stunning countryside along the pan-American highway to Matagalpa, thought-provoking scenery. After arriving in Matagalpa, we met with Frank Lanzas, President of ASOCAFEMAT (Association of Coffee Growers of Matagalpa). This organization of coffee producers is working to find new markets and avenues of production, although it is not currently a part of the Fair Trade system. In talking about some of the basic struggles and trials of small coffee farmers in the Matagalpa area, our group had a better understanding of the situation we would soon be entering as we headed off to community of La Reyna, where we would spend a couple of days with coffee farming families.
After arriving in La Reyna and being greeted by community members and the children, we talked with members of the community and the Danilo Gonzalez Cooperative, part of CECOCAFEN, Equal Exchange’s trading partner. We met in the community's school, a basic structure with wooden desks and drawings upon the walls. After answering questions and sharing greetings, Juan Carlos, Joe, and community members took some time to determine who would stay with whom. This time, of course, provided an opportunity to play with the children. Many folks got to practice some basic Spanish: "Como te llamas? Me llamo _______." So many smiles and giggles.
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Aaron, my sister and fellow delegate, Katrina, and myself were placed with Dona Maximina and Don Juan. We hiked up a small hill for a few minutes, heaving the whole way (with backpacks, this was no easy task for us). We arrived at the casa to smiling and curious faces—the children in the family. After being shown our room in the cinder block home, we located the latrine and the bathing area. Dona Maximina showed us her coffee trees behind the house. We had a great view of the sunset from our hillside abode.
After settling in, we pulled out markers and paper and set the kids to work. Aaron and I practiced our Spanish, chatting with Juan a bit about coffee, the area, and our work at Equal Exchange. Dinner was delicious and served by candlelight. I had to forgo the coffee (sadly enough, I shouldn't do coffee after 5 pm. Can't sleep.) My fresh squeezed orange juice was great, though—not too sweet, with a pleasant bite. After dinner was finished, Katrina practiced English with the older girls and Aaron and I spoke with Juan. Juan told us about the history of Nicaragua, building upon what we learned in our previous lectures and discussions with our study group. This lively conversation provided one of my favorite memories from the trip. I slept very soundly that night. |
Delegates with Dona Maximina Ochoa Mendoza
(center) & family
Phillip Otternass from LWR with
Eco tourism guide Armando |
The following morning, we woke early and prepared ourselves for coffee picking. After teaching us to make tortillas in her kitchen (no easy task—we need some practice), Dona Maximina and her family outfitted us with coffee picking baskets and sent us down the hill to the rest of our study group. Together we walked to the community's collective land where we would learn to pick coffee. As a coffee lover, I myself had never seen nor touched a coffee plant in its natural environs before that morning. These coffee plants were beautiful, and the red cherries seemed all new to me (even though I've seen so many photos of these at work). Admiration and awe aside, we learned a few basics about coffee picking: pick the ripe, red cherries, avoiding the green or green-red ones; don't drop the cherries on the ground, as this leads to insect-infestation and disease; work quick; don't worry about that scary, loud noise in the trees above you, it's just the monkeys; oh, and don't fall down the steep slope while picking (it takes a long time to pick up all the cherries in the basket that's tied around your waist). After picking coffee for some time, we were all proud of our accomplishments and simultaneously humbled at how much we had to learn. Our next step in the process took us to the community's wet mill. Observing the depulping, fermenting, cleaning and sun-drying of the coffee beans further informed us of all the steps in this intricate, labor-intensive process.
Most of us felt a little overwhelmed with all this knowledge and our backs were a little sore from picking. Even still, we mustered some energy and went on a quick (albeit steep) hike to a lookout on a hill top. This was yet another highlight of our trip—seeing the Nicaraguan countryside and blue sky for miles around. We were all in awe and basked in the sun for a while. Upon returning to La Reyna, we were treated to a community presentation, complete with games, loud music, and traditional dancing. We were all very touched and were left in good spirits. That night, most of us went to bed quite early after supper, reflecting on a busy day and sad to leave the next morning. In bidding farewell to the host families and new families Wednesday morning, many delegates were moved and saddened. Many photos were taken and hugs abounded.
Our mini-bus headed back to Matagalpa and on to Sol Cafe, the dry mill for CECOCAFEN. We had to get there before noon, as Daniel Ortega's inauguration was that day and most businesses were going to close. Our tour by Javier at the dry mill picked up where our experience the day before left off. Here we walked through the organic drying patios and picked up beans in parchment, amazed at the texture and color. We saw workers unloading recent arrivals from area coffee farmers and the initial quality control check in. Entering a large building with noisy machines, we witnessed the coffee beans being sorted mechanically by weight and size. Next we walked through a narrow room with a 24 women, a dozen on each side of a conveyor belt laden with coffee beans from the previous room—yet another step in the dry mill's quality control process. These women picked out defective beans as they shuffled by quickly on the belt. We were all in awe of the rapid hand and eye movement required for this job; one of our delegates even managed to get in on the action! For the final part of the tour, we met in a conference room and talked with Javier about the structures and associations of cooperatives and local communities, Fair Trade, quality control, and politics.
With even more connections being made between the ideas discussed thus far on the trip and hands-on experiences, we took a break from coffee and visited Casa Materna, a local non profit that serves peasant women with high risk pregnancies. Here we learned about the risks pregnant rural (and often young) women endure. Many women journey for hours (or even days) by bus and foot to arrive at this safe house. The following day, as our group traveled to the La Esperanza coffee cooperative with Cesar Castillo, Nicaragua Project Director of LWR, we reflected on the women from Casa Materna and their rough journey as our tiny mini-bus and Cesar's pick up truck bounced in and out of pot holes.
While at La Esperanza, a cooperative with 180 members that is part of CECOCAFEN, we met with the Board of Directors and CECOCAFEN representatives. Here our group learned more about how the cooperative is organized, what they produce (primarily coffee but also basic grains), production methods, the coffee's marketing and selling, and the recent coffee crisis. A neighboring community, La Corona, experienced extreme hardships during the coffee crisis; 24 children died of starvation and half of all workers migrated, leaving the area in shambles. LWR became involved with La Esperanza through their work with CECOCAFEN and La Corona. Francisco Guitierrez, a representative from CECOCAFEN reflected on the crisis and added: "It appears the (Lutheran) churches are walking hand in hand with us. We have to thank you doubly. First, for helping us improve the quality of coffee. Second, for helping us sell the coffee in the Fair Trade market."
With this uplifting perspective, we traveled on to a different sort of cooperative, one that works with growing, processing and commercializing medicinal plants and conserved products (such as cough syrup, foot cream, and jams). The Women's Collective, supported by CIPRES and LWR, will soon be moving into a brand new building/processing plant. While in the community, we were able to see another LWR-assisted project—a biogas stove. This unique contraption uses the methane from cow dung to generate gas for use in homes (specifically for cooking), easing respiratory problems associated with open stoves and alleviating the need to cut down trees for firewood. We learned from the CIPRES/LWR representative, Javier Mondragon, that this biogas technology will be taken nation-wide through Daniel Ortega's new government.
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The next morning we left Matagalpa to visit Soppexxca, a coffee cooperative that LWR has supported in developing their quality control. As part of our tour, we participated in a coffee cupping session with Javier Gadea, a member of the young cuppers/youth program at Soppexxca. Many mysteries surrounding quality control and testing of coffee were made clear by this talented young cupper. We enjoyed our finely crafted espresso drinks from the attached cafe on our way back to Managua.
As our time in Nicaragua wound down, we brought our learning full circle with a talk on our last day with Carlos Pacheco, an economist and trainer working with grassroots organizations and Trocaire (the official overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland). Our discussion of free trade agreements, the fair trade movement, and the current Nicaraguan & Central/South American economic situation brought a better understanding about where Nicaragua and all the producers from different backgrounds we had met over the course of our trip.
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Javier Gadea from Soppexcca
explains the art of cupping coffee |
After doing some sightseeing--visiting Volcan Masaya and a nearby craft market—we returned to Managua on the final evening of our delegation. Meeting for our trip wrap up, we each shared what we enjoyed most about the trip (in no particular order): hiking, the cupping, conversations, picking coffee, seeing the impact of Fair Trade in the countryside, the group's energy, the children, bus rides, and the worship service. Many agreed the host family experience was by far the most touching and unforgettable experience overall. We continued reflecting on what we would take home with us: grace; energy; a deeper understanding of Fair Trade, Equal Exchange and LWR; personal stories; empowerment to really change personal communities; relationships; affirmation of what Lutherans are doing for Fair Trade social justice; and joy. Riding this wave of energy and sharing, we met one last time later that evening to discuss what we are doing now with Fair Trade and to set personal action steps for 2007. In a long discussion, we shared resources and ideas and brainstormed about ways to bring information about Nicaragua, Fair Trade, and the LWR Coffee Project to our communities and lives back home.
After many hugs and goodbyes, we bid farewell to each other as we traveled off to our own respective corners of the United States. In bringing home stories, pictures, and thoughts of those we met and shared moments with on the trip—fellow delegates, cooperative members, our host families—these newfound friends, we left feeling energized and affirmed, part of a larger mission and movement here and abroad. |
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Interfaith Program 
