Café de la Esperanza is grown in the Ixil region, one of the more remote and poorer regions in Guatemala. Because we were originally a business initiative linked with the HOPE Bible Mission, our farmers have also benefited from the many other programs of HOPE, such as medical clinics and schools.
Although farming coffee brings in some income, it is often not enough to cover every expense for a family, especially to continue their children's education after elementary school. There is a significant drop-off in education after elementary school (6th grade). Two reasons for not continuing education after elementary school are: cost and finances. Middle school (Basicó) requires tuition. Not only would a family have to pay for continuing education, but they would lose an income stream if their child is not contributing to the family finances.
The "1-2" punch to the family finances is difficult to overcome, but HOPE is countering this problem with a "1-2" punch of their own. Already, Café de la Esperanza is helping by providing direct access to markets to obtain better prices for coffee. The second part is directly from HOPE. Run:HOPE is raising funds by sponsoring "Run, Walk, Bike" events in the United States to subsidize teacher development and student retention. Learn more about Run:HOPE.
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