Time to say goodbye

The study tour 2011 is over. It’s time to say good bye to and thank everybody who participated in many ways in the study tour. It has been wonderful to share this experience with all of you.

Study tour souvenirs

In these 7 days I have learned much not only about our project partners, but also about Oikocredit members and investors and my colleagues in the region, especially Guatemala. I go back home with many thoughts in my mind: there is no perfect project but there is Oikocredit as long term partner for development. Being a social investor means creating real partnerships that go beyond financing especially in challenging times.

Study tour 2011 participants (Photo: A. Vargas)

Guatemala is a country of challenges and hard working women and men aiming for a better future for them, their families, their communities, and their beautiful environment.

Before the sunset

The time came when we had to say goodbye to the people of CADECH. They prepared a farewell lunch in a typical restaurant. A local group was playing marimba and we could visit the traditional sugar cane mill.

Souvenirs I received from CADECH

To remember the visit, they gave us a lovely souvenir: a small version of the typical hat coffee farmers wear with our names engraved in it. We exchanged best wishes and hit the road again to Palo Amontonado, 3 hours driving from Chanmagua.

Around 5pm we arrived to Alimentos Campestres. It was good to arrive before the sunset as it gets very dark and the road leading to the factory is narrow and a bit dangerous.

This was the first time I saw first-hand how solar panels work to capture clean energy. Besides, I saw how bananas are being dried.

Bananas dried with solar energy at Alimentos Campestres (Photo A. Vargas)

Unfortunately there were no samples anywhere to take home. Wish me luck trying to find Alimentos Campestres snacks in the local supermarket.

Empowered women

The day started with a visit to CADECH’s wet and dry processing plants. In terms of environmental good practices, CADECH’s first priority was to address water management. A lot of water is necessary in the wet processing plant. Now they are recycling water for processing the coffee beans. I saw the machinery for washing the coffee and recycling water bought with Oikocredit’s financing.

At CADECH wet plant (Photo: A. Vargas)

CADECH next step will be an optimal use of waste after processing coffee. At the moment, they give it –for free – to its members to be used as fertilizers.

Before leaving Chanmagua I met two women members of the coop. Not only are Mrs Zoila and her daughter Marlene CADECH members, but also have been involved as members of the administrative board. Zoila was a member years ago and Marlene has just been elected.

Marlene and Ms Zoila (Photo: A. Vargas)

“It is because most decisions are taken at that level”, Marlene told me, “And women have another approach or point of view than men. I am very much aware of any opportunities for women and make sure that women also get the chance to profit from them”. It is not an easy task because agricultural coops are usually male-dominated. Mrs Zoila and Marlene are genuinely empowered women that pave the way for other women to dare to become actively involved in an important decision-making body of CADECH.