Important Dates

1988 the see is recovered and work is undertaken for the remodeling and reconstruction of the building previously damaged during the civil war.

1989 a minute is written up by the provisional board of directors to state the initial ideas about exploitation obliteration, the chain of intermediaries, and the commercial monopolization of products of basic need. Thus, the pharmacy, the corn mill, and the store with basic products were created. There was a positive response from The Union of Indigenous Communities of the Region of the Isthmus (UCIRI in Spanish), with coffee commercialization in the Alternate Market in The Netherlands. Bert Beekman, of the Max Havelar Foundation visited the Cooperative.

1990 the Incorporation Agreement and the Governmental Accord that legalized the organization were prepared. The first coffee export was undertaken. Textiles for export were promoted, which meant a great opportunity for women. That’s when the values that have been the core and success of this experience began to take root: God as the base of life and opportunity, union and respect to the difference between people, caring for Mother Earth, and the effort to produce quality products.

1991 there was a significant expansion of the Association amid the communities. This same year the coffee mill was built and the machinery needed was purchased.

1992 an approach to the Communities of the Population in Resistance (CPR in Spanish) took place in order to discuss their situation and the conflict of the land.

1993 the judicial-legal agency was created and thus the process of negotiation to solve the conflict of land began; this lasted until 1998.

1994 two great goals were reached: the official certification of coffee, and the creation of the Center for Development that in the beginning was used as a training center for agricultural, ecological, and other relevant social issues. In 2000 it began to provide formal education using the program from the Guatemalan Institute of Radio Education (IGER in Spanish). This has been operating since 1995. The following years up to 1998 were important as to following up and strengthening the processes. We had the help of the international cooperation such as the European Union, and the Italian Union among others.

1999 an agreement was signed with the Interamerican Development Bank, to create the fund to provide credit to the associates. The Radio Station was created to promote the information and development of social and political processes, and provide education to the general population.

2000-2005 the association began to promote productive diversification: ecotourism, cardamom, honey, dairy products.

2006 to date a strong process of organizational restructure has been implemented, basically strengthening the capability of the business action, reflected in the improvement of the administrative, financial, commercial, and coffee processing areas, and to the Technical Assistance Unit with the goal to provide training and follow-up of producers so that they can improve management and increase coffee’s productivity and quality, and thus their business profitability.

Something that started as a dream and hope for a small group of farm laborers has turned into reality for 3,300 associates, who benefit from the effects of having faith, union, effort, trust, solidarity, and the practice of justice at all levels.