Small Axe Coffee is proud to support the work of Coffee Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to helping coffee-farming families improve their quality of life.

Recently we heard of a program they are supporting in Chiapas, Mexico, helping farmers in the Selva Negra (or black jungle) region expand their economy beyond coffee.

This is just the kind of investment in coffee communities that Small Axe Coffee would like more coffee connoisseurs to support.  You can be one of them by donating here. 

Here's more on the project in Chiapas.  According to José Luis Zárate of Coffee Kids, “For generations, families here have relied on coffee as their main source of income." Normally, families in the Selva Negra can expect $1.62 USD per pound of their certified organic coffee. Coffees certified organic and Fair Trade ordinarily command higher prices, but when demand is low or weather affects the harvest, many families suffer.  This year, the farmers hit a particularly tough patch when a buyer reneged on a contract. Farmers were then forced to sell their certified organic coffee on the local market for a loss.

“Unfortunately, coffee-farming families are at the mercy of the volatile coffee market through a system that is heavily tilted in favor of the coffee buyer,” Zárate added.

Around the world, more than 125 million people depend on coffee for their income. Most confront chronic malnutrition, poor sanitation and little to no access to health care or education. But in the Selva Negra, families are taking control of their lives with the help of Coffee Kids.

Families in the Selva Negra struggle with food scarcity and lack reasonable access to consistent health care. Coffee Kids’ partner, The Association for Research and Training of Southeastern Mexico (ICSUR), works to address these problems. They train locals to implement projects in edible mushroom cultivation, chicken-raising and traditional medicines.

The edible mushroom project was established in 2005. The 20 participating families now harvest more than 100 pounds of oyster mushrooms per week. In 2008, the mushroom project became self-sustaining and families began purchasing their own supplies with proceeds from mushroom sales.

This year, Coffee Kids is supporting ICSUR’s chicken-raising and traditional medicine projects. The chicken-raising project provides both an affordable source of protein and additional income to families.

Coordinators with the traditional medicine project tap the accumulated knowledge of community members to identify useful medicinal herbs and introducing new ones. For many in these remote villages, the nearest doctor is a day’s journey away. Herbal medicines provide a safe and effective alternative for common illnesses.

“I realize now that there are many ways of improving our lives without so many resources from the outside. I have worked in the chicken project for three years and now I’m learning about medicinal plants,” said Aida Cruz Ramírez, a participant in the chicken-raising and traditional medicine projects. “I think the most important thing I have learned is to cherish what we have at hand in our community; to cherish what surrounds us.”

Coffee Kids is a donor-supported organization. To learn more about Coffee Kids and or to donate, visit http://www.coffeekids.org or call (505) 820-1443.