Tomorrow is National Coffee Day!
Tomorrow we're celebrating our favorite morning beverage, and no celebration would be complete without an acknowledgement of those who made it possible, from farmer, to importer, to roaster, to barista, to you.
Bill, our Executive Director, and Paula, our International Program Director, recently returned from a trip to Guatemala, and we're excited to share a story with you from their trip: Rafael's story.
Rafael, who goes by "Rafa," lives in Chel, Guatemala and is a member of the organic, fair trade coffee cooperative ASOBAGRI. A smart, hard worker, Rafa makes enough money selling coffee, cardamom, and honey to support his family.
Rafa is also a member of the CopiChajulense honey cooperative. He serves on the auditor committee for the CopiChajulense board, making sure the cooperative's finances are in order, and is also one of their best honey producers.
At 50 hives, Rafa's apiary is not the largest of the beekeepers' in the cooperative, but his skill is what makes him so successful. He has developed a method of raising queen bees to improve the productivity of the hives--an unusual task that requires exact timing and close monitoring.
Stay tuned... we'll be sharing more of Rafa's story tomorrow!