For Mélida Montero, coffee is more than just a drink. It’s a way of life. “I’ve always grown coffee; My parents and grandparents have always grown coffee. I feed my children with coffee. Coffee is in my roots; this is what I have been given in life”.
Ms. Montero lived in El Tambo, Cauca, an area of Colombia particularly affected by the conflict, until the signing of the Peace Agreement in August 2016. Before that, local communities, especially women, struggled to create a steady source of income for their households.
Rebuilding the economies of these regions was an important part of that Agreement, and Peace Building Fund (PBF) – the UN’s first financial instrument to maintain peace in countries at risk of or affected by violent conflict – has funded a one-of-a-kind initiative through Multi-Partner Trust to Maintain Peace in Colombia, in 2018.
UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund to Maintain Peace in Colombia
Cauca, a region of Colombia that has been particularly affected by the country’s decades-long conflict.
The Endurance of ’50 Amigas’
As a result, 50 women, all household heads and coffee producers in El Tambo, were empowered to start businesses and gain direct access to promote their coffee internationally.
Trained in marketing and equipped with technical knowledge in organic coffee production, these women growers have developed their own brand of organic roasted coffee, ’50 Amigas – Valiant Collective’, representing the rich history of the Caucasus mountains and the perseverance of women. The small-scale production of their branded coffee has greatly improved their income.
“I was able to give my children everything thanks to coffee. We are not rich, but we always have food. And I can support other family members when they are in need,” said Ms. Montero, who is happy to be 50 Amigas.
UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund to Maintain Peace in Colombia
Argenis Rosas (centre), a coffee grower in the Caucas, Colombia.
‘We are fighters. We don’t give up’
“We take care of our planet and our own farm. That makes me feel very proud,” said Argenis Rosas, another member of the collective. “I am also teaching my children to care about the environment. I like what I do. We are working on using solar energy on the farm and we make compost.”
With the use of an online digital platform, the entire coffee production process is traceable and 100% transparent. The platform also helps link women’s producers with the US market and eventually other markets around the world.
“50 Amigas, we are warriors. We don’t give up. The UN is helping me realize my dream. Thank you for trusting us,” said Ms. Rosas.
UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund to Maintain Peace in Colombia
Coffee beans are being sorted in Colombia.
