Since 2005 Just Coffee has led delegations to Guatemala, Chiapas Mexico, Nicaragua, and East Timor.

Guatemala:

In Guatemala we stay in coffee growing community, Santa Anita's, guesthouse, located on Guatemala's Pacific slope between Quetzaltenango and Coatepeque at an altitude of approximately 4,000 feet. Santa Anita offers us the opportunity to meet members from all sectors of the community, learn about organic coffee growing and production as well as diversification projects, learn about Santa Anita's history as ex-combatants of the Guatemalan Revolutionary Unity or URNG, and much more. This cooperative's values reflect the URNG’s 36 year-long struggle to create a society based upon mutual respect and democracy. Our delegation also spends time in and around Quetzaltenango meeting with different solidarity organizations, exploring Guatemalan culture, and enjoying the natural environment.

Mexico:

In Chiapas Mexico we visit Zapatista and Las Abejas coffee growers to learn more about their struggle for autonomy and fair trade within the context of the globalized economy. We meet with groups in solidarity with the Zapatistas. Our delegation also spends time in and around San Cristobal de las Casas meeting with different solidarity organizations, exploring the culture of Chiapas, and enjoying the natural environment.

Nicaragua:

In Nicaragua we meet with Fundasaun Entre Mulheres and La Fem, all-female coffee growing cooperative.

East Timor:

In Timor-Leste we attempt to meet with Cooperativa Café Timor (CCT) to discuss Timorese coffee production, their philosophies of fair trade, and visit their production facilities. We explore new initiatives in coffee production and exportation as well other coffee producing individuals and companies in Timor-Leste in an attempt to compare possible exporting options and business models from East Timor. By traveling to various parts of the coffee-growing region we are able to meet with farmers and tour their coffee fields to get a taste of what their daily reality is. In Timor-Leste’s capital, Dili, we meet with a wide array of organizations from small local NGO’s, to private companies and individuals, to large multi-national organizations such as the United Nations, to learn more about each groups perspective of the path and ongoing struggle of the second youngest country on earth. . Our delegation also spends time exploring Timorese culture and enjoying the natural environment, both above and below the sea.

For more information or to sign-up for a delegation, please contact Just Coffee's Delegation Coordinator Colleen Coy at: colleen (at) justcoffee (dot) coop. Thank you for your continued interest and support!