GUATEMALA

Located in the Huehuetenango region of Guatemala, the Asociación Civil Guaya'b is certified Bird Friendly, Fair-Trade, and Organic. It currently has 330 members, 316 of them being of indigenous descent. Guaya'b was formally established in 1998 and joined the Fair Trade movement in 2000. The premiums that they received from Fair Trade have helped to create a more stable economy and decreased the rate of migration in the area. They have many programs funded by the premiums including medical insurance for all of the members and their families. Many of them grow additional crops such as peanuts, fruit and peppers to sell at the markets for extra income.

In 2018, a team from Wicked Joe Organic Coffees traveled to this remote region of Guatemala to host a workshop for the cooperative. We led 3 classes teaching them about sample roasting, coffee cupping, and coffee brewing. It was a life-changing experience for our team seeing some of the farmers taste their own coffee for the very first time.