Producer Profiles
GUAYA'B - Asociación Civil Guaya'b Huehuetenango
The sales made by Guaya'b have brought stability to the cooperative and have enabled members to meet their basic needs. With the Fair Trade price, Guaya'b farmers have increased their own earnings and reinvested a portion of their profits into the community. As a result, the region’s economy is more stable and the rate of migration has decreased.
Quotable
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Since we began selling at the Fair Trade price we have seen a big improvement in our quality of life. Cooperative members can now afford to buy clothes and medicine for their families, and they benefit from the new programs the cooperative has implemented with revenue from Fair Trade sales. ” Antonio Carmelo Camposeco, Guaya'b President
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Programs
Low Interest Micro Loans
Guaya'b cooperative members are provided with low-interest loans which allows them to avoid unscrupulous local lenders.
Organic Production and Composting
The Guaya'b General Assembly voted to invest in environmental programs that would help reduce waste and increase productivity, without greatly increasing the cost of production.
Fair Trade premiums have helped fund composting programs in several communities that generate organic fertilizers and reduce waste. Funds were also used to finance technical assistance in organic production techniques for cooperative members.
Workshops and Training for Women
The cooperative offers womens' programs focusing on female nutrition, and work and business training.