Dear Friends,
We are reaching out here with another update on our projects in Guatemala and the COVID-19 situation.
Guatemala is in lockdown. Curfews are in place, schools and public transportation are shut down, and going out without a mask can incur a fine. Immigrants in the U.S. are being sent back to Guatemala, many testing positive for the virus. Travel between communities is also heavily restricted. Amazingly, there are still no reported cases of COVID-19 in Chajul.
We have been working to distribute information about the virus and appropriate safety measures, particularly in the beginning of the outbreak, when there weren't a lot of materials available in the Ixil language. We are also continuing to work on our current projects and our developing agroforestry project.
We are working with Chajulense de Mujeres (the women's savings and microcredit cooperative) to strategize during this uncertain time. New loans within the group are currently available to those seeking to develop agricultural projects to feed their families and communities for added income.
Technicians in the CopiChajulense honey project are still visiting beekeepers, while keeping distance and wearing masks. This year's honey harvest is looking to be better than ever, and the cooperative expects to produce three containers of honey this year.
We continue to work on our new Agroforestry Project, and we have begun surveying farmers via phone to gather information about their land, the health of their coffee plants, and trees they have planted. We are also conducting research on tree species that are culturally relevant and economically and ecologically beneficial.
Please don't hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or just to say hello. We'd love to hear from you.
Wishing good health and good spirits to all of you.
Bill Fishbein and The Coffee Trust team