Doña Lucero

The Italian non-profit organization amka and the label Caffè Speciali Certificati - CSC, are working together to promote the social project Doña Lucero, which supports 80 female coffee producers in Guatemala. "A path of empowerment so that in the future they can achieve a high level of autonomy and become true entrepreneurs," says Fabrizio Frinolli Puzzilli, president at amka.

Blasercafé is the only non-Italian roasting company to be a member of the CSC from the very beginning, thus supporting this project.

The project Doña Lucero was launched in 2020 in the Petatán province in the Huehuetenango region of northwestern Guatemala, where coffee cultivation extends for miles thanks to fertile soils and favorable climatic conditions.

As in many countries of origin, the women farmers here are not aware of the quality of their work and products and are therefore easy prey for so-called coyotes, real speculators who buy up the coffee at very low prices and then sell it on to export companies. Often the fees barely cover their expenses, but the farmers accept this because they are too poor, because they have to sell their harvest immediately and have no alternative, especially because they are women. The successful goal of amka and CSC was to help develop the production and trading capacities of the women farmers: Training sessions ranged from coffee production issues to promoting the role of women, from the distribution of agricultural materials and products to technical assistance in improving cultivation techniques and coffee harvesting.

The first samples tasted by the experts from Caffè Speciali Certificati confirmed that the crop was of high quality. The project participants at Doña Lucero received a considerable premium, which corresponded to an increase in income of almost 50%. This shows that good work efforts are recognized and rewarded. An incentive to continue on the path taken and leave the speculators behind.

DOÑA JUANITA

Doña Juanita is 40 years old. After separating from her husband, she began to manage the land of her brother, who emigrated to the United States. This activity allows her to support her 3 children and become financially independent after years of economic dependence on her ex-husband. She has been producing 100% organic coffee for years and is now the president of the group of 80 women, always motivating them.

"As women, we have the right to participate and organize, even if we are often denied. But if we fight back, we can achieve anything."

DOÑA CIPRIANA

Doña Cipriana is 48 years old and has three daughters. She works on her coffee fields together with her husband. The nearest piece of land is an hour away and only accessible on foot, over muddy and slippery terrain. She mainly takes care of fertilizing and processing, while her husband works in the small workshop he has set up in his house.

"The work involved in growing coffee costs: Think of all the walking we have to do with sacks of manure on our shoulders. You wouldn't think it would be women's work, but with effort we can do it all, even if we don't have the same physical strength as men."

DOÑA ANTONIA

Doña Antonia is 42 years old and has two daughters. She learned coffee growing from her father. She got married and separated after a few years; a difficult decision for her. When she got together with her new partner, she had the opportunity to work with coffee again because he owns a small field. She is an enterprising woman. In her home, there are many different small entrepreneurial fields that want to be farmed: from fruit trees, to chickens, to running a small store with a variety of products.

"Making coffee is very expensive. But I like this work. If you treat it well, the land is generous with us, it's all we have."

Blasercafé has sourced part of the green coffee harvest and created the new coffee Maya from it. This Limited Edition tastes fruity and balanced, evoking the flavors of oranges, stone fruits, caramel, nuts and chocolate.

More information on the project can be found here: www.caffespeciali.it.