Coffee Camp in Guatemala
The Coffee Camp and Kindergarten Program began in 2012 as an educational strategy to prevent child labor in Guatemala and contribute to school readiness in rural coffee growing areas. Raising awareness throughout the coffee chain in preventing child labor, was a main goal. Since then, the program has extended to five centers in different coffee growing regions throughout Guatemala.
The program, managed by Funcafé, a local non-profit organization, wanted to provide coffee worker’s a place for their children during the harvest season. They wanted to work with parents to show the advantages of not involving children in work activities. The program aims to teach kids between 4 and 7 years old about farming skills, writing, reading, and other crafts and activities.
Millcreek Coffee works with The Coffee Source to identify areas of need in the coffee growing regions in which we purchase coffee. Millcreek Coffee purchase roughly 23,000 pounds of Guatemalan per year for use as a varietal and in many of our blends. Starting in 2019, seven percent of every pound purchased by our company goes toward the Coffee Camp and Kindergarten program. We are proud to support the Acatenango region where we purchase our coffee.
Costa Rica Social Impact Project
About The Cost Rican Coffee Industry
Coffee production and commercialization has made a large impact in the development of Costa Rican society. Since the eighteenth century, the industry had the effect of democratizing land distribution and private property, playing a role in improving quality of life for 90% of its producers – families who own their own small or medium coffee farms.
Historically, coffee has been a motor for social development in Costa Rica. Its influence may be measured in terms of jobs along the argri-food chain, which is composed of over 50,000 producer families.
Since 1993, every coffee transaction and delivery in Costa Rica is directed through the Costa Rica Coffee Institute (ICAFE), which register coffees based on international coffee market’s real base price. This is called the Liquidation Payment System. As a result, coffee producers receive around 80% of the price for each bag sold.
Millcreek’s Contribution
Costa Rica has made great strides from both a social and environmental impact on the coffee community. Their care for quality and ethical trade makes Costa Rica an ideal place to purchase green coffee.
Millcreek Coffee Roasters purchases roughly 42,000 pounds of Costa Rican coffee per year. When the opportunity to help a school in the coffee community came up, we were excited to participate. A social impact project called “La Eva Project” was created. The Coffee Source in conjunction with Santa Laura Exportadora de Café helps Millcreek Coffee administer the project of improving safety and health conditions for a small school called School Julio Ulate Gonzalez. Four percent of every pound purchased by Millcreek Coffee Roasters goes toward improving the school. We are excited to be part of this project.
Each year since 2017, we have identified areas of need in the school. This includes helping improve roofing, helping build a library, and upgrading classroom furniture and provide funding for internet access to the school. We are so happy to be a part of this program..