Working with Cafédirect:
As MACEFCOOP is currently facing internal organisational challenges and actually FLO suspended we continually support them to address the contentious issues and help them get back on track.
This demonstrates Cafédirect’s long-term commitment to working with grower partners.
“Before we joined with Fairtrade, we sold our coffee at low low prices – so low that they didn’t cover the cost of production. This was terrible and it meant that we couldn’t feed our families, our children couldn’t go to school, and we couldn’t afford medical help, so infant mortality was high.
Now with Fairtrade our lives have changed. Since 2001 we have worked with Cafédirect, and we see a difference. We now have stability, and a brighter future. This makes a change in our lives: our children have an education now – they not only go to school but some to university; they have proper medical care and the infant mortality rate has decreased from 21% to 7%.
We have been able to invest in our co-operative – Cafédirect gives us support - we have been able to invest in development programmes for the community –150 school benches have arrived so primary children in five schools don’t have to sit in the dirt when they go to class. Our standard of living has improved but it is still a long way from the way you live in the UK.”
Roseline Etchu, Society Development Officer, MACEFCOOP (pictured above left)