Achiote: Organic Shade-Tree Coffee Farming

Arabica and Robusta Coffee
This picture shows the coffee beans that are not native to the lands which we were in. In Panama, and specifically this family- owned coffee farm, the normal Panamanian coffee beans were small in size. Upon realizing that with the large size of the bean having more flavor and caffeine content, hence, ’robust,’ and the possibility to make more money, they began importing ‘Robusta Beans’ (as shown in the photo) of larger size. “The robusta plant has a greater crop yield than that of Coffea Arabica [even]. As it is less susceptible to pests and disease, robusta needs much less herbicide and pesticide than Arabica” (wiki). Robusta beans are native to lands in Africa and other places with a wet climate such as this area of Panama. There are several differences in leaf size, flavor, and way of growing between the Arabica and Robusta coffee plants. For example, “the Arabica coffee plant is self-pollinating, whereas the Robusta coffee plant depends on cross pollination” (coffeeresearch.org). As our guide was saying, the Robusta plants need certain forms of cross pollination to re-pollinate. While we were here, he pointed out a specific bird that is the main ‘cross- pollinator’ for these plants. By sitting on the plants and taking pollen and nectar from the sweet smelling white flowers the plants produce early in the season and flying around to other plants, these birds naturally pollinate the other plants. Insects of course also serve the same purpose in cross- pollinating. Because this is a shade coffee farm, the idea of the protective canopy of trees offers not only protection of the plants, but also can serve as a home to many animals such as insects and butterflies that will pollinate these coffee plants. Focusing solely on birds, shade coffee fields shelter up to two-thirds of the bird species found in natural pristine forests in the same geographic areas (shadecoffee.org).


Perturbations
This picture shows coffee beans from a plant that was not able to be harvested. The normal harvesting season for coffee beans in Panama is between October and December. However, these beans came from a tree that was infested with ants. Pests are always a problem for many farmers, and when it comes to organic farming, the use of unnatural pesticides is not practiced. With small scale farms, these families need all of the trees and plants they can get, showing that there is a need for ways to protect pests. With the continuance of environmental perturbations natural remedies have been found to keep away these pests. As our tour guide was telling us, the natural remedies they use for these problems come from another plant that they had growing near the trees. It was a type of lemony- smelling plant that repelled ants in other forms. It could not simply be planted next to a coffee tree to keep it free of ants and pests however. It first had to be boiled with water and made into a liquid. After this it could then be directly applied to the coffee plant as a natural repellent. This had to be done the year prior to harvesting the particular plant.

Shade Coffee Environment
This photo shows the environment of the coffee plants. The use of land is very important to most local farmers. Shade grown coffee must be produced under a canopy of trees for it to yield its most beans to harvest. By being in the right location, this small- scale organic shade coffee farm is in the perfect, natural, already existing habitat. The environment for this area is also rainy, which it actually started to rain a little while we were there. Although their normal harvest season is from October to December, if it has been really rainy they may even harvest some plants as late as January. As our guide said, this area is the rainiest in the whole country. Although this can be seen as an environmental perturbation, these farmers work with the environment to produce sustainable crops. However, the reason that they chose to have a shade coffee farm may be for this very reason. The canopies of trees in which shade coffee farms are located help protect the trees from sun and more importantly, rain. As we also have seen, this shared as a home for their horses as well. Along with being a natural forest, creating a perfect habitat for the coffee plants, it was also the home for some of their livestock. “Among the many benefits of using shade-grown coffee production methods, in contrast to sun-grown coffee, are that it provides food and shelter for songbirds, as well as habitat for numerous other species of animals and plants” (shadecoffee.org).

Small- Scale Processing Plant

After harvesting and drying the coffee beans, they are able to be taken to this small processing plant. There, the beans are put into this machine that shells them and empties them into a bucket. When relating to ecological footprints, the tool for measuring and analyzing human natural resource consumption, this coffee plant puts out close to what it puts in. After the coffee beans are shelled, the waste is separated by a blast of air from a fan that sends the shells through a several foot long piece of PVC piping directly back to the environment outside.  It is then used as feed for the chickens and livestock that live in the back. The chickens then create environmentally friendly compost that can be used for growing soil for the coffee plants on the farm. The ecology of this small- scale farm is indefinitely ecologically circular, meaning that what all of the products in the production can be re-used and renewed to make more of the same thing. The natural compost thrives in the natural shade environment of the coffee plants.



Greenhouse
Right next to the small house on this coffee farm is a slab of concrete with pieces of rebar sticking out of the ground. Asking if this was actually used for something, we received an explanation of another ecologically sustainable component of the farm. We learned that this place is used to set up a greenhouse for production. After the coffee beans are harvested, they must then somehow be dried. Instead of using forms of electricity, these people use the natural heat and energy from the sun, and the technology of the greenhouse to dry out the newly harvested coffee beans. It was interesting to see that the only source of electricity I saw on this Faculty Directed Practicum was for the small scale processing plant to power the small machine used to shell the beans. When comparing this ecologically friendly system to large scale processing plants in respect to electricity, this farm that we had visited has much less of an ecological footprint. Along these lines, I asked our guide if they have ever considered s type of solar power to dry out the beans because maybe they could do more at once, which could increase the production and human capital. He told me that in the future that could become a possible opportunity for this farm and many others around it, especially if they could collaborate with other farmers as part of this organization has already. It would be very interesting to re- visit this site and see their progress down the road in a few years.

Cafe Seedlings
This photo shows the small coffee, ‘café,’ plants that are growing the shade forest as well. This farm uses their own seeds and seedlings from existing trees to plant these new ones in this small nursery area and then transplant to the farm in the future. It takes 3 to 4 years for these Robusta beans to yield beans, depending on the size of the plant. This reduces the costs and shipping associated with importing more plants, like they had done with the original Robusta coffee plants. I was interested in how you actually grow, or start a coffee plant and what it takes for this to happen. I asked our guide on the way back to the bus and he told me a few things that you need. First, he said that the soil must be moist, but cannot be too wet. This, as stated before can become a problem in this area because it is the rainiest area in Panama. It takes a lot of care for a seed to sprout into a seedling. After about 4 months, the seedling will begin producing leaves. Then, after about 5 months after, the seedling will begin to look like an actual coffee plant. But as we stated earlier, it takes about about 3 to 4 years for it to actually begin yielding beans. They are then replanted from this small area.

AUTHOR: Amanda Galioto

Semester at Sea, Maymester 2011

Achiote: Los Rapaces Ecotourism Group

Community development
The name of the restaurant “Los Repaces” is inspired by a kind of raptor (eagle or predator), which is known to take full advantage of its environment. The restaurant owners and locals believe that communities can survive and thrive off of what’s given to them by nature. People are very proud of their own land, diversity of birds, and natural surroundings that are filled with rich resources. We have witnessed that they truly built a sustainable community with their own hands, rely on the immediately available resources and their belief in communal interest. Rather than merely chasing after the artificial, global and commercial, they are more developed than the rest of the world by returning to what’s truly natural, local and original. As shown in the picture, most of the restaurant workers are female. The restaurant business creates jobs for the women from the town, who traditionally were expected to stay at home to raise the children. Men are viewed as the breadwinner of the household and owner of the property and land. This kind of cultural arrangement prevents women from accessing social and economic power. They are often not given education and training from youth, never expected to compete, gain independence or succeed in the marketplace growing up. As a result, women are more vulnerable to unemployment than men. While men can leave home to work in the city, women and children are left behind, which creates potential problems for the family and community. Vast lands are abandoned or exploited for commercial uses, which leaves abundant natural resources and habitats uncared for.

The restaurant conveniently awards the women a stable source of income with skills that they already have without taking them away from their nourishing and supportive roles at home and in the community. Moreover, it minimizes the negative psychological and socioeconomic impact of the unequal cultural arrangement by empowering women economically and promoting interdependence socially. It allows women to fulfill the female role of nourishing their children and homeland, while gaining revenue and contributing to the society as ecotourism professionals. The women feel proud about their business and contribution to local prosperity, are happier to stay close to their families and home, and build a harmonious community. It solves the problem of unemployment and uneven distribution of wealth. Potentially, it will generate locally-sustainable economic profit and establish their land as the world famous bird watcher paradise by providing convenience and authentic service for tourists.


International Assistance
The local sustainable development group CEASPA was started in 2003, which spearheaded the initiatives of community development and the idea of women empowerment. They encouraged the restaurant owner and many locals to come up with self-sustaining business ideas, and offered them necessary funds and community support. Many international efforts are also behind the financing, construction, and development of the ecotourism restaurant. For example, the Peace Corp volunteer came up with the idea and stayed for a year to help the group to build the restaurant and support the women in 2005. A Spanish organization helped them build the protector around and over the well in case that clean water could not reach the community. As a community, they are guaranteed access to clean water for all seasons. Colorado State University professor and students from U.S.A came to visit and built the museum coffee house, where they can educate visitors about their organic coffee farm, original and modern production site, and manufacturing process. The U.S also provided the wood and materials already in place to construct the restaurant so that the locals do not have to cut the trees around. Therefore, although it started with individual will and community conscience, the restaurant by the community, for the community, and of the community, is a collective effort of an international community.

Economic development
Even though organic farms provide high quality food, and local ecotourism services enhanced experiences for customers, the farmers and workers are not reaping what they truly deserve. In the current economic system, comparing to the rest of the supply chain, the farmers provide the raw material such as coffee beans, staples, and vegetables that are not nearly rewarded as much as the commercial activities of distribution, promotion, packaging, and marketing by large corporations. The product’s added value is not recognized for its production, which has essential impact on its quality.  Rather, the profit flows unevenly to the far end—to reward the large global distribution networks (energy consumption monsters), marketing communication/advertisement (psychological manipulation), as well as in-store and shelf display (artificial aesthetics). The questions we must persist to ask are: what is the genuine value that customers eventually receive? Who contributes the most along the way? By calling question and doubts to the existing system in search of fair trade, we can come closer to envisioning an alternative model and reward system that will take consideration and care of all.


As the world acknowledged best bird watching spot, the community takes pride in its abundant natural resources. On one hand, the community establishes a close tie with the rest of the world; on the other hand, the world demands economic exchanges and a share of their resources. There is profit and danger in unchained development. In a global context, although they have embraced modern economy by welcoming visitors, they do not merely extract resources and use it for economic profit exclusively because they understand profit in a holistic and complete sense. For example, the owner told us that she does not distribute the restaurant’s profit, but rather the group bundles up the money every month and distributes it by the effort that members have put into the business. The restaurant also provides employment opportunities and provides support for women with no income. They never lose sight of the value in people that they love, planet that they live in, and plants that they rely on, in face of desirable economic profit and expansion opportunities.The locals seem to have recognized that like biodiversity, community activities needs to be diverse and serve different functions. It is hard to imagine the local economy, environment and community relationship if every family opens a restaurant. For future business ideas, people should think from a larger picture of the community needs, capability and capacity, not just from individual economic profit goal; because everybody can and should be able to contribute to the health and diversity of the community. So far there is still only one restaurant in the community, and people continue to come up with sustainable and profitable farming and trade activities inspired by local or neighboring community and organizations in Panama.

The ecotourism development goes hand in hand with community conscientiousness of sustainable development and business opportunities. The owner started the business by using seed money received from CEASPA (the Panamanian Center for Social Action) to invest and sell locally-made coconut bread and tamales. With the support of tourists and its community, it has grown from a small entrepreneurial venture to a sustainable restaurant business. It is an empowering idea that, without micro financing projects from large international financing and support, but with the help of local groups such as CEASPA and their own hands, the locals built and improved the community by forming organic farming groups and keeping promises they made to consumers. The locals maintained relatively low levels of extraction by reducing resource consumption and making full use of waste. The locals help protect the ecosystem & spread the word to others, which is essential in providing aesthetic services (birds, biodiversity and landscape), and provisional service (food, water, and energy, etc) to sustain and support family and create a prosperous community. In fact, the people requested that the restaurant stay open longer to serve the community, not just for tourist groups. Now it has become a business that can serve both internal and external demands, almost equally.

Obviously, the idea of the community has also been enlarged because of the economic activities of the restaurant. It becomes a chain of benefit in ecotourism, employment, community development, and economy. Based on economic theory, any exchange should provide value for trade partners so that they can focus on what they are good at and take advantage of what they have most effectively.  Hence, business relations should be established in order to share with others what we each have to offer for the betterment of the community and environment.


Energy cost and hidden costs
The restaurant uses butane gas and wood as its primary source to cook food. The wood is directly cut down from nearby trees, and is used sparingly for additional fuel to supplement the butane gas, which is bought from the nearest city. It is important to recognize that despite the local’s effort to provide ecotourism while preserve the environment, any human or business activities inevitably places energy and resource demand on the local environment. Butane is used commonly by campers as fuel.  However, it does have negative effects on the environment and human health. Butane burns to form water vapor and carbon dioxide, which contributes to greenhouse gases. Furthermore, inhalations of butane can cause health concerns such as euphoria, drowsiness, narcosis, asphyxia, cardiac arrthymia, and frostbite. In fact, the paper “Emission of nitrogen dioxide from butane gas heaters and stove indoors,” from the American Journal of Applied Sciences, indicated that that burning butane gas can create nitrogen dioxide, a toxic gas, and therefore represents a human health hazard. Nevertheless, the restaurant’s only alternative to burning wood is using butane, which is a highly flammable gas.

What’s available and prevalent in the energy market and in their natural environment determines the extent of impact and amount of waste that we can make. Technology for renewable and clean energy faces tremendous inertia in reaching down to the common people because of its high cost and limited availability. Given available energy resources, the best individuals can do is to minimize energy consumption and resource extraction. The restaurant buys the 100 pound gas tank that lasts for 20 days for $62 dollars: Thus consuming 5 lbs. of butane costing approximately $1.61 per day. Using only 5 pounds per day represents the restaurant’s understanding to use as little butane as possible while creating healthy and delicious meals to its customers. Moreover, the wood the restaurant uses is mostly wood that is picked up from trees that had previously fallen. The restaurant uses cutting down trees as a last resort, and when the one does cut down a tree for the restaurant, all parts of the bark is used for fuel.

Traditional Food and Waste Treatment
During an interview, the owner identified one of the major differences between her restaurants and others, especially those in the cities. She claimed that her group promotes a circular system, where the locals benefit. The food in the picture is one of the main dishes served at the restaurant. It contains rice, chicken, beans, lettuce, tomato, and bean paste. The restaurant buys the materials needed for creating this delicious and rich plate by buying them from the local community that sells various vegetables, fruits, and meat. The restaurant also hires people to cook for them, which in turn provide an income for the cooks, who can invest money into sustaining their crops, vegetables, fruits, and meat, which they would sell to the restaurant for food. This type of circular system is only possible because of the local community, and is far different from the linear system one tends to see in the United States, or in many bigger corporations and restaurants, which solely rely on externalizing and reducing costs for a bigger profit margin. Instead, the restaurant focuses not only on its annual revenue, but the wellbeing of its community that surrounds it. This is a display of true community consciousness and responsibility. The restaurant is fulfilling its obligation to operate in the greater interest of the greater society.  That is: Providing jobs, wages, and buying food from locals, while pursuing their mission of creating economic value for the owner.

In the rare occasion that the food is not finished (because the food tastes amazing), the restaurant does not act irresponsibly like the bigger city restaurants and catering services, which simply throw away their leftover food along with other inorganic wastes. Instead, the owner collects all the leftover food each day as a primary source of food for her pigs she has at her home. The waste returns to become nourishment for animals and decompose in nature—human waste can integrate naturally into the circular system of the ecosystem gain. Indeed, the food itself is not wasted at all, and as the ecotourism group’s name suggests, the restaurant owner uses all possible resources to their maximum potential.

Owner Interview and Additional Thoughts
The owner confidently stated in the end that the restaurant and the group is a replicable, and in fact she started her business within one year. She was able to create a sustainable restaurant with the help of the land, its resources, the community, and international help to accomplish this significant step in true sustainable development, instead of solely economic growth. This is not one success story of a talented or lucky individual. As the owner said: "any women from the village could do it".  However, it should not be mere replication of the same restaurant business model, but rather a sustainable community mindset, ethic, and effort.  At the same time, whether building similar restaurants that would end up as success is questionable. While there is no doubt that her circular system should be replicated and adapted to fit different communities, there is only an extent to which restaurants should be built. While the restaurant may not be the best initiative to replicate, the inspiration and ideas behind the restaurant are certainly a display of social responsibility and sustainability. Whether it is preserving the environment while taking full advantage of what it gives the people, creating bonds and trust in the community, providing jobs and wages for cooks, educating about women’s rights, or minimizing and efficiently using waste to provide other means, the existence of this restaurant and ecotourism group creating this sustainable community and environmental is nothing short of miraculous. The group has managed to persuade the community to work and trust each other to develop sustainably in ecological, social, and economical means.  This local sustainable development effort is simple but not easy. It requires substantial and persistent amount of individual dedication, natural resource, family support, community participation, as well as international assistance. Furthermore, many intangible values pave the foundation of their success, the local’s traditional belief of self-sustaining and respect for nature, value simple attitude of joy and contentment from family, and nourish the sense of community and solidarity.

Author: Yangzi Jin and Tetsuro Miyatake
Foundation of Sustainability, Professor Karian
2011 Semester At Sea Short Term Voyage

San Lorenzo: Colonialism to Conservation

Protected Area
The San Lorenzo Protected Area is located at the northwestern entrance to the Panama Canal and is currently part of the Mesoamerican Corridor of protected areas extending from the Yucatan of Mexico to Panama. The Mesoamerican corridor is designed to join protected areas throughout Central America by ecological corridors, or land bridges, so that the habitat necessary for migration of the region’s wildlife can be protected. The protected area includes features such as Fort San Lorenzo, Fort Sherman, and about 12,000 Ha. of additional land for biodiversity. In addition, the area provides scenic views of the river. The Caribbean Sea, Limón Bay, and Chagres River are major nearby waterways. The Chagres is the largest river flowing through the San Lorenzo Protected Area, separating the area into a northeastern and southeastern portion. Our class got a taste of the vegetation and surrounding landscape while driving through the protected area to get to Fort San Lorenzo.


Fort San Lorenzo
In 1534, Philip II of Spain foresaw the need for a fort at the mouth of the Chagres River to protect Spain’s gold route over the isthmus. In 1597, the Spanish initiated a water level battery and later built a fort called San Lorenzo. Cannons were fitted in 1626. Some facts about the fort are that it was built 25 meters above sea level on a cliff overlooking the mouth of the Chagres River. Also, the walls on the landward side are surrounded by a 10 meter wide dry moat and drawbridge. Features within San Lorenzo are an interior parade ground and several enclosed cells designed for prisoners and the storage of equipment and supplies. In 1748, the Spanish abandoned the Chagres route over the isthmus, favoring travel around the tip of South America at Cape Horn. Therefore, during the 19th Century the fort was used as a prison. In 1980, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, declared Fort San Lorenzo and its surrounding 5 Ha. as a World Heritage site. Walking around you can sense the history and importance of the site. In addition, visitors who are not aware of its significance can read the narration boards that are abundant and give a quick easy description.


 
Wildlife
The San Lorenzo Protected Area has at least 81 species of mammals, or 35 percent of all the mammals found in Panama. Bats are the most common group with 41 species, followed by rodents with 17, and carnivores with 9. Some examples include Howler monkeys, Slaty-tailed trogon, Toucan, and Leaf Cutter Ants. Upon our arrival to Fort San Lorenzo we found a trail of Leaf Cutter Ants carrying leaves more than five times their size. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that watching them and the way the colony works together was fascinating. Panama has about 930 known species of birds of which 75 percent are residents and 14 percent are regular migrants. Reptile and amphibians are also abundant with 127 species of snakes, 81 lizards and iguanas, 15 marine and freshwater turtles, 3 worm lizards, a crocodile, and a caiman. With such a wide variety of organisms and biodiversity, this place has become attraction for ecotourism.






Ecotourism and Conservation
Environmentally speaking, previous activities including military activities, the impacts of canal operations on surrounding waters, the threat of inappropriate development, poaching, and the unauthorized use or exploitation of natural resources have taken a toll on the San Lorenzo Area. However, since these activities are no longer allowed because the land is protected, it has become a popular destination for ecotourism. Visitors enjoy the high faunal and floral biodiversity, activities such as hiking, kayaking, birdwatching, crocodile photographing safaris, game fishing, scuba diving, and snorkeling. There are future plans to use the grounds on Fort Sherman for an interpretative center highlighting its historical and cultural past. In addition, there are plans to develop a butterfly and botanical garden. My class enjoyed the scenic views of the river and exploring Fort San Lorenzo.


Habitat
The San Lorenzo Protected Area has three ecological life zones: tropical moist forest, tropical wet forest and tropical premontane wet forest. This land also contains three life zones, 12 vegetation types, and at least 500 species of higher plants, about 5 percent of the total recorded for the country. The high diversity in the San Lorenzo Protected Area can partly be attributed to its variable topography, different vegetation types, and the proximity of large undisturbed tracts of forest to the west. Another critical factor is the relatively large size and limited human disturbance. The San Lorenzo Area is a important part of the inter-oceanic corridor across the isthmus, and of the Caribbean coastal corridor. Future research will add new species to the list and also help determine the impact of humans on its environment.


 

Military
Starting in 1943, Fort Sherman was used as a training site for the Pacific Theater because of its rugged terrain, notably the Piña Range. In 1909, the U.S. Secretary of War requested plans for the defense of the Panama Canal. The plans included building and maintaining Fort Sherman, named in honor of General William Tecumseh Sherman, a renowned Civil War commander. The conservation of resources in the canal watershed involves several issues: damage and hazards from past military activities, the impact of canal operations on surrounding waters and shorelines, the protection of archaeological and historic sites, the threat of inappropriate development, and the unauthorized use of natural resources including lax law enforcement. Upon our visit to San Lorenzo Fort, it was obvious to see that it had military roots, especially because of the canons and trenches that were built along the exterior.

AUTHOR: Stacey Delgado

Sources:
The San Lorenzo Protected Area: A Summary of Cultural and Natural Resources
     by: Peter L. Weaver  & Gerald P. Bauer
Panama’s Caribbean Treasure by Peter L. Weaver, Gerald p Bauer, and Belkys Jiménez

Achiote: CSU Alternative Spring Break

This small, colorful house marks the starting location of the path that leads to the Borbua family coffee farm. The coffee farm is one of twelve other farms in the small community located in Achiote, Panama. It helps contribute several different kinds of coffee beans to the local coffee processing plant that is located near the town. In 2007, a group of students from Colorado State University (CSU), in Fort Collins, Colorado, helped restore and repaint the house for the Borbua family. Through an excellent program known as Alternative Spring Break, a group of 18 students and two faculty members from CSU volunteer their time for a week to help the community with multiple projects around the town. The project in Panama is one of many, but it is the only one outside of the United States. For the past five years, different groups of students from Colorado have been traveling to Achiote to volunteer in the community for their spring break vacations, and another group is expected to spend their upcoming spring break there as well.


This picture shows the Sendero Ruta del Café, the pathway that leads from the Borbua Family coffee house to the coffee farm. The coffee farm has many different types of plants that produce various types of coffee beans ranging from small beans to large beans. The pathway is one of many other roads that were built by CSU student volunteer groups. The pathway helped to create a safe walkway that the family could travel on to get to the coffee plants to harvest. It also was created for tour groups that would come see the coffee farm in order to view the coffee bean plants and learn more about the sustainability of the environment. Ultimately, the pathway helps the economical, social, and ecological aspects of the family farm. The pathway is lined with large stones and is made out of gravel rocks that are loosely packed together. In 2007, this pathway and the house located on the Borbua family coffee farm were completed. Other Alternative Spring Break trips built other pathways and decks that are located in the community of Achiote.


In the house that is located on the Borbua family coffee farm is where some of the coffee is produced from the beans that are harvested from the coffee farm. First, the beans are picked from the coffee bean plants when it is the harvesting time of the year. Next, the shells are removed from the coffee beans. Local farmers demonstrated the traditional de-shelling process using a 'pilon' (wooden stand and hammers). An alternating hammering method between two people is used to extract the beans from the shells, as seen in this picture. The beans are then separated and ready to be roasted on a open fire pit, as the remaining shells are often used as fertilizers. The coffee beans can either be left in the roasted stage or put through a metal grinder that grinds the beans into coffee grounds. This 'pilon' was also built by the student volunteer groups, along with the gravel pathway and coffee house in order to improve the family’s social and economical environment in the community of Achiote.



A group of 18 students and two facility members from Colorado State University would travel down to the small town Achiote in Panama for an Alternative Spring Break volunteer trip. This is a picture of the rooms in which the students would stay when they were visiting the community. However, most of their time was not spent in these rooms, but instead their time was spent in the local communities doing various volunteer work and projects around the community. Students from the university would apply to go on this Alternative Spring Break in order to get a great cultural experience while also volunteering in the community and helping people. Upon arrival to Panama, the group of 20 people would get a chance to first visit Panama City and see the nearby Indian village for two days. Then for the next four days the group would stay in the El Toucan Community and Visitors Center. While they were staying there, the group would be split up into two separate groups to work in the community. One group would work in the morning doing the various volunteer projects, while the other group was able to travel around the town and interact with the members of the community. The groups would then switch in order to get a chance to play as well as work.


While students from CSU were staying in the small town of Achiote they got a chance to leave one gift to the community. Not only do they help build and restore multiple buildings and pathways in the town, they also leave a lasting impression on the people in the community and improve the ways of life for several families. Each student that volunteered in the town was invited to create a painting on a piece of fabric that represents the time they spent in the community. As seen in this picture, a string of student-made paintings hangs in the local restaurant as a reminder of the support to the community that the students provided. These colorful decorations can be seen in other buildings, such as the house that was built on the Borbua family farm, where students helped. The colorful art work seen on the walls of buildings were also painted by the students from the university. Many drawings are of the activities that the students participated in and notes to the town in which they spent time in. The string of artwork shows the connections and bonds made by the community and students and how two different cultures can come together to help each other.


In the small community located in Achiote, Panama, a group of kids are seen playing in the street outside of their homes. The kids also play soccer and baseball together for fun. This is a community in which the families help and support each other in personal aspects as well as creating a safe work environment. They live off of the land as did their ancestors. The CSU group helped the community by building houses and pathways. But most of the students also ended up taking back more from the trip than they expected. After getting the chance to live in the community surrounded by close family ties, the students can see the differences between their own communities back home and the one seen in Achiote. The trip is often times a very motivational and eye opening experience to the students that get to visit the town, and many times students wish to return again and again in support of this great community.

AUTHOR: Kristie Wilson

Achieving Sustainable Development Through Women's Entrepreneurship: A Comparative Study of Social Microenterprises in Costa Rica and Nicaragua

INTRODUCTION

Women around the world, especially in 'developing' countries, are key players in the management of natural resources and the development of healthy communities. As the primary caretakers of children and the family, they are responsible for nutrition, health and management of the household. As managers of the household, they also engage in environmental activities, often assuming the roles of food producer, animal tender, water and fuel collector. Furthermore, they represent approximately half of most countries’ population and therefore half of the potential labor force. Yet, despite their significant contributions to the well-being of society, their voices remain underrepresented at all levels of the decision-making processes on issues related to the environment and development.

In the last two decades, the voices of women are being increasingly heard. Their full equality, participation and leadership are being supported and promoted at the local, national and international level through countless programs. Microenterprise is one such program that has spread like wildfire across developing nations targeting rural women, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Hailed as a form of economic salvation, microenterprises have not only helped women generate income, but also overcome gender barriers,develop invaluable leadership skills, a remarkable entrepreneurial spirit and a strong sense of activism. In this sense, female-led microenterprises can have a positive impact on multiple levels—economic, environmental and social—which essentially reflects the goals of “sustainable development.” Limited research shows the impact of women entrepreneurs on sustainable development. Most studies tend to focus on economic growth and the market economy.

This comparative study examines the increasingly important role of female entrepreneurs in achieving sustainable development at the grassroots level. Drawing on five case studies conducted over a two month period in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, the study shows the remarkable transformation of everyday rural housewives into social entrepreneurs leading microenterprises that benefit themselves, the community and the environment. It will also provide a brief overview and summary of the characteristics most common to these organizations including noteworthy successes and challenges.

The following are the woman-led microenterprises covered by the study (click on names to view individual posts):

1. Grupo Ecologico de Mujeres de Abanico (GEMA) – A medicinal plant cooperative that grows, processes and sells herbs in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. 

2. Colectivo Feminino Resclatando Nuestro Ecologia (COFERENE) – A community-wide recycling program in San Ramon, Costa Rica.

3. Asociacion de Mujeres Agroindustriales de San Luis de Grecia (ASOMAG) – An all-natural beauty product industry in Grecia, Costa Rica.

4. Asociacion de Mujeres de Reciclaje (AMURECI) – A recycled art and souvenir business in Santa Clara, Costa Rica.

5.  Genesis – A cotton spinning cooperative in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua

THE THREE E’S EQUAL SUSTAINABILITY: ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMY AND EQUITY

The concept of sustainability arose in 1983 with the United Nations creation of The World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) led by Gro Harlem Bruntland, former Prime Minister of Norway. The Commission was formed to develop and implement ways environmental concerns could be addressed cooperatively among developing countries and result in the fulfillment of common goals that integrate ecological, social and economic issues.

With the release of the world-reknowned Brundtland report in 1987 entitled “Our Common Future”, an official contemporary definition of “sustainable development” was established. Sustainable development is still widely regarded as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".  The Brundtland report was groundbreaking in that it integrated social justice in the environmental debate declaring that inequality and poverty were the fundamental causes of the environmental crisis. After all, a world in which poverty and gender inequity persists will always be prone to both ecological and economic disasters.

At the heart of sustainability lies the concept of the three E's: Ecology/environment, economy/employment, and equity/equality.  Ideally any proposed initiative should consider the simultaneous interaction of these three elements. All Three Es require a long-term perspective and recognize the interdependence of all the “E’s.” Sustainability seeks to satisfy the needs and interests of all parties within the framework of concern for equity. This expanded focus offers the great possibility for broader changes to happen within a community and between communities (Edwards, 16-21).

Within this holistic model of sustainability, we shall see how female entrepreneurs in Central America have naturally incorporated the Three Es into the mission of their microenterprises and made an incredible impact on their community.


BIRTH OF THE MICROENTERPRISES

In the last 10-15 years, rural women across Costa Rica and
Nicaragua have taken ownership of problems plaguing their
community by organizing themselves and forming small
productive organizations that promote personal economic
growth, environmental conservation and social justice.  GEMA,
a medicinal plant cooperative,and ASOMAG, a natural
beauty product business emerged to combat the widespread
use of toxic pesticides that resulted in chronic health problems
among women and children, as well as the destruction of fertile
lands. COFERENE, a community recycling program and AMURECI, a recycled art business began as a way to creatively
reduce the level of trash suffocating their community while generating meaningful employment for women. Genesis,
a cotton spinning cooperative, made up of mostly women from
the second poorest city in the second poorest country in Latin
America, organized to secure basic services and a stable income
for their families. In sum, being most affected by the environmental degradation, pollution and/or lack of basic services, women have taken matters into their own hands and constructed microenterprises in the hopes of creating a better future for themselves and their family.

Furthermore, rural women appear to be drawn to the idea of self-employment in microenterprises for a number of reasons: flexible hours, close proximity to the home, working with close friends and family members, combining income generation with domestic and reproductive tasks, freedom to make structural changes and connection to local markets.


CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MICROENTERPRISES

• Small to medium size; comprised of 5-18 workers
• Led or dominated by women

DEMOGRAPHICS OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

• Age: between 20 and 70

• Marital status: mostly married but also includes single and divorced women

• Number of children: 1-5

• Education level: women above age 40 tend to possess a K-6 level education while others a K-12; very few have a university degree.

• Socioeconomic status: marginalized, low-income communities

• Current occupations: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, or member of an association or cooperative

• Former occupations: housewife/homemaker and occasionally with small side jobs such as selling food drinks and handicrafts in the community.

• Multifunctional role: perform multifunctional roles as homemaker and businesswoman combining the concern for the well-being of their family with the business activities.

COMMON THEMES AND SUCCESSES

There are striking similarities in the successes achieved and the key values practiced by the organizations that truly resonate with the concepts of sustainability.

• Environmental Stewardship – All of organizations are committed to the sustainable use of natural resources. GEMA and ASOMAG grow the natural ingredients for their products on 100% organic farms. COFERENE and AMURECI are dedicated to the 3 Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. COFERENE collects, processes and sells recycled materials compiled in the community to local, national and international businesses. AMURECI’s products are 100% environmentally friendly and made from natural or recycled materials. Genesis believes in the clean, sustainable production of organic cotton.

• Fair distribution – Women in the microenterprises have equal access to fair wages and professional growth. The businesses are owned and managed by the workers. As a “worker-owned” cooperative, Genesis lives and breathes fairness as each worker is entitled to a fair share and the business is based on the 1person/1vote principle.

• Democratic participation- All workers have a voice and participate in the decision-making process. As mentioned Genesis was designed to guarantee the democratic participation of all cooperative workers.

• Cultivation of women’s leadership – As female-oriented groups, they are dedicated to supporting the spiritual, economic and social growth of other women by facilitating women’s workshops, supporting local women’s initiatives and continually recruiting more women into their program. All the women have grown tremendously in their entrepreneurship roles. They have gained enormous self-confidence in a strong “macho” society and attained unimaginable levels of socio-economic independence from their husbands.

• Inter-generational perspective- As mothers responsible for the well-being of the family, especially the children, they tend to think about the impact of their actions on future generations. Their long-term perspective motivates them to pass the valuable skills acquired through trial and error and formal trainings to their children. Many of the women plan to pass their business roles on to their daughters. Some of their children already participate in their businesses to a certain degree.

• Interdependence – Participating in both domestic and agricultural work, these female entrepreneurs possess a natural understanding of the interconnectedness of the social, economic and environmental fields. They made a conscious decision to build a business that would benefit the entire community including the natural world. Generating income alone does not fully sustain families if they are being debilitated by widespread diseases from the consumption of contaminated local food and water.

• Community development – The women are continually developing new ways to meet the changing and growing needs of society. The small size of their businesses allow the women to easily refocus their efforts on different areas of the community at any given time. AMURECI is predominantly concerned with recycled paper and artwork, but they also connect women to employment opportunities, provide them with leadership advice and support small local projects.

• Education – Having minimal formal education, these women feel blessed to have completed a vast numbers of trainings virtually related to every sector in society: business management, leadership, gender, communication, conflict resolution, information technology, construction, art, beauty, farming, medicinal plants and the list goes on. Becoming educated in an array of fields has significantly raised their self-esteem and helped them perceive themselves as professional businesswomen. Some have continued their education on their own at local universities and received government-sponsored scholarships. Others have used their skills to start side businesses to supplement their income. Not only are they dedicated to educating themselves, but they become inspired and motivated to educate more women by organizing and facilitating workshops, sharing what they have learned others.

• Multi-level partnerships – The success of all of these organizations can also be attributed to the resources leveraged from local, national and international institutions. The Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje (INA), a national Costa Rican vocational training institute has been instrumental in imparting basic skills to women that are starting a new business. The Jubilee House Community Inc is an American NGO in Nicaragua that has worked vigorously to train cooperative workers of Genesis in all the nuts and bolts of business administration and management . In all of the microenterprises, women have worked with local schools, universities, private businesses, the municipality, the national government, other microenterprises and international organizations to secure funding, training opportunities, equipment and new markets for the products.

• Optimism – No matter how great the odds, the women have managed to maintain a remarkably positive attitude. AMURECI is severely struggling with finances and also dealing with the constant lack of community support for their program. With their well-endowed creativity, they have generated new projects bring in additional income. Genesis was deceived $150,000 and have not been able to start work because of the fraud. Amazingly, however, all 18 members remain motivated, hopeful and strong. Like AMURECI, they have designed an alternative income generating project to focus on in the meantime.
  

• Unity – Combined with their positive outlook, the women have grown and bonded tremendously together. They have supported each other through the organizations’ peaks and valleys. They have learned to work cooperatively together and also learned much from each other. It is impressive that a group as large as Genesis has continued to work together despite the magnitude of their challenges. COFERENE successfully maintains worker moral by organizing several family-oriented staff excursions a year, bringing the members closer together each time.

OBSTACLES THAT IMPEDE GROWTH

• Tradition – Stands as one of the greatest to barriers for women’s participation in public processes. Women are still expected to dominate the domestic sphere. Their valid reasons for involvement are no match for the religious, cultural and other sociological influences that keep women at home. In the beginning stages of every microenterprise, there is always a large number of female participants. Over time, however, the numbers tend to drop by more than half. Lack of spousal support is cited as the number one reason for the lack of female participation in small business initiatives.
  

• Dual roles – All the women juggled multiple responsibilities as the primary caretakers of the home and family, and as the income generators outside the house. Many times, women were permitted to participate under the condition that all responsibilities in the home remained in their hands and completely unchanged. This dual role puts immense pressure on women to combine household responsibilities with business activities and may limit their ability to reach their full potential as female entrepreneurs.

• Lack of financial capital – Microenterprises are constantly finding themselves struggling to keep their goods and services afloat due the continued lack of funds. Even when financial stability is secured, the loans women receive are seldom large enough to enable the expansion of microenterprises.

 
RECOMMENDATIONS

• Capacity building – All of the female entrepreneurs expressed their love and enthusiasm for learning through various capacitation workshops. Local, regional, national and international conferences that regularly bring these change-makers together would help reaffirm their efforts, inspire new ideas for growth and change, provide training in new skill sets, and facilitate the exchange of successes and challenges with like-minded individuals. Conferences also greatly increase the representation of women in the decision-making process at all levels, allowing them to voice their specific needs. A step further would also be pairing newly emerging entrepreneurs with veterans from at home and abroad that share similar experiences and expertise.

• Volunteer support- Ecotourism or sustainable tourism is an increasingly popular trend among developed countries. In a country that attracts the largest number of tourists in Central America, organizations can recruit volunteers not only through national and international volunteer organizations, but also through tour agencies. They can market their programs in a way that catches the attention of tourists seeking authentic opportunities to interact with the locals in a meaningful way. Sending a flyer or brochure with their mission statement and the volunteer opportunities available could expand their volunteer base. While they may receive short term volunteers, they may also find those that come with the intention of staying for longer periods. Furthermore, a focus on long-term volunteers will also require that lodging options. Organizations can generate extra income by hosting volunteers and charging a reasonable fee. This way, they gain free labor, supplemental income and an enriching intercultural experience.

• Marketing – All of these microenterprises offer goods and services that are highly beneficial to the community. Yet, most community members are uninformed about the noble work these entrepreneurs do. A comprehensive marketing strategy that targets government officials, local community members, national and international organizations would attract greater attention and lead to greater support in various forms (funds, in-kind, volunteer, etc) for their businesses.

CONCLUSION

Women-led microenterprises can become an important vehicle of sustainable development from the bottom-up. As small-scale, low investment projects, they provide immediate personal fulfillment and stable employment, especially for uneducated or semi-educated women. Microenterprises empower women to be self-sufficient financially and emotionally, enabling them to make a meaningful difference in their lives. As this study shows, women are generating new concepts for entrepreneurship by leading microenterprises that, in the long run, produce far reaching economic, social and environmental impacts for the entire community.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Christie, I. & Warburton, D. 2001. From Here to Sustainability: Politics in the Real World. London: Earthscan.

Edwards, A.R. 2005 The Sustainability Revolution: Portrait of a Paradigm Shift. B.C.: New Society Publishers.

GTZ. World Bank. Inter-American Development Bank. 2010. "Women’s Economic Opportunities in the Formal Private Sector in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Focus on Entrepreneurship."

Portilla, Melania. 2007. “ The Growing Strength of Rural Micro-entrepreneurs in Latin America and the Caribbean.” COMUNIICA.

Author: Joan Ngo

Genesis: A Cotton Spinning Cooperative

Genesis is an extraordinary female-dominated, worker-owned spinning cooperative dedicated to community economic development, the advancement of workers’ rights and the protection of the environment. Located in Ciudad Sandino, one of the poorest cities in Nicaragua with an 80% unemployment rate, it is one of several “worker-owned” cooperatives formed and funded by Jubilee House Community Inc., a nongovernmental organization (NGO) and its project the Center for Development in Central America (JHC-CDCA).  Comprised of 18 members (15 women and 3 men), these workers spent an incredible four years building a 15,000 sq. ft. factory (about half the size of a football field) from the ground up with their bare hands, one cement block at a time. The labor for construction was their contribution and is what Jubilee House Community Inc. describes as their “sweat equity buy-in to the cooperative.”

Genesis emerged to meet the needs of its former sister cooperative, Nueva Vida, a women’s sewing cooperative that makes organic cotton clothing for fair trade companies in the U.S. (such as Maggie’s Organics) and Europe. It is also recognized as the world’s first certified worker-owned fair trade zone. The Fair Trade Zone provides sustainable employment under humane working conditions, and is fully owned and managed by members of Nueva Vida.  Also located in Ciudad Sandino, Nueva Vida is now running completely independently of JHC-CDCA. In 2007, 8 years after it was launched, Nueva Vida experienced an explosion of growth in sales, but lacked an ongoing supply of cotton cloth to keep up with the new demands. JHC-CDCA identified and organized another group of dedicated local individuals to form a spinning cooperative that would spin the organic cotton into yarn. Thus, Genesis was founded to be a fundamental link in the production chain of organic cotton, which will spin the cotton bought from Nicaraguan cotton farmers at fair prices and then sell their yarn to Nueva Vida in the Fair Trade Zone.  This will help reduce costs and turn-around time for clients.

The story of Genesis is one of triumph, despair, resiliency, and hope for a better future. In February 2007, JHC-CDCA helped the group secure land and all the materials required for construction of the spinning plant. Forty-six members began work with cement blocks and iron beams to build the factory. Within 6 months, their membership was down too 36 members, and continued to drop until it reached the current 18 members. In between building, JHC-CDCA provided workers with opportunities for training in a wide range of skills and expertise. As a worker-owned cooperative, members have been required to complete countless hours of training in construction, business management and administration, accounting, marketing, gender equality, health issues, teamwork, communication, conflict resolution, information technology, and business/cooperative law.

While the spinning facility is finally complete and they have gained the legal status of a true cooperative, Genesis cannot begin their operation due to a major recent setback. In 2010, the group was swindled out of $150,000 by a U.S. broker that promised them spinning machinery and failed to deliver. As they await the ruling of the lawsuit against the broker and another offer of spinning equipment, they are designing alternative income generating projects such as jewelry making to sustain themselves and their families.

Unlike similar groups visited in Costa Rica during this study, Genesis is still in the development stage, and has not yet begun business operations. This is of particular interest because all other organizations visited as part of this comparative study have been in their production phase and already overcome their biggest barriers early-on. In contrast, here is a group that is still in the initial stages, but has already achieved a tremendous amount: The construction of a factory, the legalization of their cooperative status and the innumerable life skills that are transferable to every facet of society. They worked extremely hard for over 4 years and are so close to realizing their dream.  For the moment at least, their plans have come to a screeching halt. Yet, despite the long delay that may await them, the cooperative maintains an impressive level of optimism and continues to grow together.

The 18 members of the cooperative range from ages 21 to 69, and have devoted nearly all of their time and energy to the effort without pay because they feel they are part of something positive and important for the community. Moreover, they truly believe in the value of working hard to fulfill one’s own hopes and dreams. At the heart of this cooperative lies the values of mutual assistance, responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. During the visit, each of these values resonated as they expressed their thoughts and immense gratitude for all of the opportunities they have been presented with. Here are some of their stories…

Pablo is 44 years old with a wife and 5 children. He described how difficult it has been to do this type of work. They have endured years of working in the hot sun and no salaries. His family has reprimanded him for failing to bring home income. However, “what I see is a bright future for my family and I have had to explain that to them.”

Martha is a 45 year old proud mother of 4 children. She claims the project has been a huge sacrifice but also emphasizes the many benefits they have gained such as the educational opportunities through numerous workshops. It is true they have no salary and they have families to maintain, but they love this project and have used their newly acquired skills to create side-jobs such as selling juice, tortillas and bread to the community. “ I thank GOD and the foundation for this project and hope we are in the final stages of making our dream a reality. I believe that a better future lies not too far ahead.”

Milagro is another female member who spoke of the how the group reacted when they discovered the spinning equipment betrayal. “Imagine the deception we felt when the long waited machines finally arrived and they didn’t work. Our spirits collapsed, we fell into a depression, but we united and felt intense strength in our unity. A friend taught us how to make jewelry to sell to groups of foreigners that frequently visit our project. The idea gave us hope and something productive to do while we wait for a new set of equipment. It’s funny how we learned how to build a factory with our bare hands and now we’re learning to make jewelry. It feels good to transition into a project that is more feminine and makes us feel like beautiful women. Our children are helping us as well. We have taught the skills we learned to them and they in-turn help us. We’ve also learned a lot from each other during the 4 years we’ve bonded. While we live with this pain and betrayal, we continue and here we are still…”

These words vividly illustrate the remarkable strength and resiliency of the cooperative workers. Coming from extremely poor backgrounds, having labored for years without monetary compensation and waiting patiently for their machinery, they still manage to see the unique, beneficial value in their work and continue to move forward together.

Author: Joan Ngo

NOTE: A directed study comparative analysis paper with further details on this and similar sites is available here: Achieving Sustainable Development Through Women's Entrepreneurship: A Comparative Study of Social Microenterprises in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

AMURECI (Asociacion de Mujeres de Reciclaje)

AMURECI is an association of incredibly creative women dedicated to the production of unique handcrafted art and souvenirs made from recycled materials from the community. Located right off the main highway towards Volcano Arenal in the small town of Santa Clara, it has become a gift shop for passing tourists as well as a service-learning destination for world volunteers. Its mission is three-fold: 1) Support the social, economic and spiritual growth of women, 2) Pomote the economic development of Santa Clara and surrounding areas and 3) Inspire environmental stewardship.

The birth of AMURECI happened one afternoon, about 10 years ago, when four beloved young housewives met for their usual “coffee time” to engage in a daily conversation about their lives. Two of the women had just attended a women’s leadership workshop held by a local cooperative. All participants were required to create and present a “project” that they would like to implement in the community. The project envisioned involved recycling paper and selling recycled paper products. The idea was mentioned and the others loved the it. From there, a series of community meetings were organized with local women to make their dream a reality.

Established in February of 2001, AMURECI was the first women’s group in Santa Clara to receive a loan from Banco Popular, a Costa Rican bank, to start a microenterprise. Like other female-led grassroots organizations in Costa Rica, getting their business off the ground involved a lot of patience, teamwork and most of all faith. The women had to collect paper and cardboard waste in the community on foot. They attended workshops on how to make recycled paper and art. They identified and capitalized on the strengths and talents of each individual woman in the group. Some were business savvy, while others were creative artists. They worked diligently to coordinate their efforts to ensure all their bases were covered. In addition, the women had to remain positive and strong amid widespread skepticism that their project would succeed. For a long time, even their husbands thought they were  only getting together regularly to share gossip.  Fortunately, despite the doubts, the women were always permitted to meet and work towards building their dream. The initial community meetings yielded 12 members but gradually fell to 7 as most women couldn’t maintain the support of their husbands or had a hard time believing that a recycled paper and art business could become successful.


Slowly but surely though, their dream business started to become a reality. Through partnerships formed with other local organizations, AMURECI began receiving volunteers who provided them with English classes and training to work with tourists. The local municipality delivered technological support while the local university provided workshops on self-esteem. The National Apprenticeship Institute (Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje, INA) offered painting and customer service classes. Additional support was given by the Ministry of Agriculture as part of it's gender program.

As their business expanded, the women found themselves juggling dual roles as full-time moms and housewife's, and entrepreneurs. Unfamiliar and worried about how this situation, the women sought the advice of a local social worker to determine the best way to care for their children in the face of their rapidly changing roles.  One solution was for the women to help each other with raising their kids. Interestingly enough, the children have grown up to become more independent than most Costa Rican kids.

Today, ten years later, the 7 women in the association now have a spacious colorful facility off the main road in Santa Clara where their goods are made and sold. Recycled materials, specifically paper, newspapers, magazines and cardboard are supplied by another local women’s group called the “4 R’s” in charge of collecting and classifying the community’s solid waste. Combining shreds of paper with dried banana leaves and water, the women gradually transform this mix into recycled paper to create a variety of products including journals, bookmarks, folders, notebooks, greeting cards and mobiles. Using seeds that drop from the trees of the nearby rainforest, they also make simple, earthy jewelry from earrings to necklaces. Their handmade goods can be found at various tourist spots in the La Fortuna and Poas Volcano regions, as well as in nearby communities.

AMURECI also has a program called “Paper Adventures” that are comprised of fun, educational paper making workshops for children and adults to teach the community and tourists creative ways to recycle. Paper Adventures is a two hour session for groups or individuals of any age for $16 U.S. per person. The sessions include a step by step process on how the women make paper, a take-home finished product that can be decorated, and delicious homemade snacks with locally grown coffee. Hours of operation are 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

Reflecting back on the formative years of AMURECI, Militza Chacon, President of the Association, claims “the women have grown tremendously…before we were just housewives wondering what we could do to bring more meaning into our lives and the lives of other women. We have not only made a positive impact , but we have also become professional businesswomen along the way.”  Her colleague, Martha Carvajal, the AMUREI Treasurer, adds that “we feel like professionals in what we do because of all of the training we have received and the experience we have gained throughout the years..”

The women of AMURECI are not only the recipients of training workshops, but have also become leaders as they organize and facilitate workshops for others. Groups of women in Costa Rica as far north as Guanacaste have come to AMURECI in search of inspiration, encouragement and support. These women, like them back in the day, are housewives hoping to build their own microenterprise in their communities someday.  An incredible opportunity key leaders of the Association received was an all expense paid trip to a business management conference organized by the Instituto de Andalucia in Sevilla, Spain. It was the first time the women had traveled overseas and become part of a global network of professional businesswomen. As one of 345 organizations represented, the women participated in 2 weeks worth of workshops that included a fair featuring the work of all the organizations. Proudly displayed on the wall of their art lab is a poster-size sign displaying AMURECI’s booth number 148, which had appeared at the fair and which now stands as a daily reminder of one of their major accomplishments.

In the last few years, AMURECI has had difficulty securing long-term, stable volunteer support. In the past, they have been granted volunteers by international organizations such as “Cross Cultural Solutions and local groups like “Juventud de Agricultura de Zona Norte” (JAZON) and Project ASIS, an organization focused on conservation and wildlife. Most of the volunteers they have received have been short-term, but ideally they would like volunteers to stay months at a time so their visits can be more productive.

Furthermore, as the world economy has suffered, so has AMURECI. The last few years have seen less tourists and therefore less business. Struggling to pay the debt they still owe to Banco Popular, the women have adopted side jobs such as catering. They now cook large orders of food for special events in the community and occasionally prepare lunches and dinners for local and international tourists stopping in their community for a homemade meal.  These days, the women of AMURECI find themselves with more leisure time on their hands than they would actually like. The hardest work has been done. They had an idea. Fulfilled it. And made a difference in the community. They are currently working hard to pay off their debt and expand their business. They would like to continually grow and provide new forms of employment opportunities to other women.

The next step: Reviving their lost afternoon coffee dates perhaps? Since the early years some of the women have moved to different homes and now live further apart from one another. However, they hope to revive this once-cherished tradition soon. This time, however, they hope to have them embody a greater spiritual focus and possibly have each meeting revolve around a specific theme, such as gender or leadership.  Anything that truly celebrates the strength and beauty of women.

Author: Joan Ngo

NOTE: A directed study comparative analysis paper with further details on this and similar sites is available here: Achieving Sustainable Development Through Women's Entrepreneurship: A Comparative Study of Social Microenterprises in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.