Above, clockwise from top left, depulper station, storage room, and drying patio. At right, coffee farmer checks the newly assembled depulper. Photos courtesy agronomist Gétro Atila.

Sites for hope in Haiti
November 25, 2009

Subsistence farmers in Baradères, Haiti, have finished building two new sites for processing freshly harvested Kafe Lespwa, the "coffee of hope." These sites will enable the growers to increase their production of high-quality coffee for export.

In July the association of Baradères coffee growers began constructing the sites, which are "firsts" for the association. Starting next year, association farmers will depulp their fresh-harvested coffee cherries at the sites.  Then the farmers will wash the beans and sun-dry them until ready for export.

Financing for the sites came from Just Haiti's donors, who built a loan fund for that purpose.

The farmers have already started paying back the loan, using some of their profits from the sale of Kafe Lespwa roasted in the United States.

This means that anyone who purchases, gives or drinks Kafe Lespwa coffee is at the same time helping the farmers pay off the loan and grow more and better coffee.

Sales of Kafe Lespwa help the farmers grow justice, peace, economic stability and hope in their own impoverished community.

So, when you make out your holiday gift list (and your own personal wish list), consider adding Kafe Lespwa. You can purchase online at www.justhaiti.org/buycoffee.htm.

Kafe Lespwa is a "fair-trade-plus" coffee. ALL sales proceeds go to benefit the growers' association. The farmers also receive, up front, the established fair-trade price for their raw dried beans.

If you share Kafe Lespwa with friends, relatives, coworkers and your other groups and associations, you will be making social justice an everyday affair—not just a special event.

The growers' current loan from Just Haiti is $12,500, repayable over 5 years at 0 percent interest. Just Haiti will make a second loan for additional processing sites as soon as expected sales volume is enough to enable the farmers to afford it.

Each site is a concrete pad measuring about 23 by 40 feet. A small building occupies about a third of the pad's area. Inside will be a hand-crank depulper machine. Using the depulper and water, growers will remove the pulp from fresh-harvested coffee cherries and wash the beans. Then they will spread the beans to dry over the open area of the pad.

Online orders received by December 20 will be delivered before December 25. You can place orders at www.justhaiti.org/buycoffee.htm.

Just Haiti works to alleviate poverty, hunger, violence, illiteracy and disease in Haiti by fostering small-business development, education programs, employment opportunity, infrastructure improvement and environmental quality. Just Haiti is a Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization.

Copyright 2007-2010 Just Haiti, Inc.