By Jose Luis Zarate, Coffee Kids Program Director

From July 21-27, Jose Carlos Leon Vargas and I spent nine days visiting Coffee Kids' counterparts, the Chajulense Association and Union of Independent Workers of Alianza Ranch (STIAP) in Guatemala.

The Chajulense Association was formed by a group of coffee growers 20 years ago in the department of El Quiche, Guatemala, to better market their coffee. In the past years, Chajulense Association has promoted economic and social alternatives particularly amongst women of the community.

Last year, Chajulense Association and the women of Chajul initiated a project in textile production supported by Coffee Kids and benefiting 50 women in two communities.

During the first day, the women took us to the workshop where they produce bags, cushions, scarves, table clothes, napkins, baby shoes, and many other objects. In one year, and with the help of other organizations, the women have standardized their offerings and put together a detailed catalogue allowing them to market their products in Guatemala and abroad.

On the second day, representatives from the group accompanied us to visit women who produce fabric using waist looms in the communities of Chajul and Pulai. This ancient practice allows women work at home and take care of their family without having to commute to a workshop or factory.

Over the past months, the Chajulense Association renovated a foot-operated loom and built a new one. This loom, along with the training the women received, will increase the textile production to satisfy the demand for handicrafts in the region.

At the end of our stay, the women announced that their group had acquired legal status and will be now called the Chajulense Association of Women United for Life. This achievement shows the increasing confidence among women that up until two decades ago had been living under the scourge of civil war.

On the second leg of the trip we drove southwest to the community of El Palmar Quetzaltenango, where STIAP leads a biodiesel project supported by Coffee Kids.

STIAP's biodiesel production project began in 2005 with the help of a volunteer and researchers from the University of San Carlos in Quetzaltenango. In 2007 the community was producing 100 gallons per week, but this year Coffee Kids provided funds for a new reactor that was built by the community and they now produce 134 gallons per week.

During the first day at El Palmar, a talented high school student, who is in charge of the processing, explained the details of transforming used kitchen oil into fuel. He also told us how the community plans to use its lower-quality macadamia nuts to produce biodiesel reducing the need for large quantities of used oil from restaurants and shops.

STIAP cultivates macadamia nuts for national sale and export, but some of these nuts are rejected and can be used in the production of biodiesel. STIAP has also created a youth group interested in biodiesel production to ensure a healthy future for the program. At the meeting, these 10 students, ages 12 to 18, told us that the most experienced from the group are now training others in the production process.

Our stay in El Palmar provided us with a clear picture of how a community can link different projects to improve the overall living conditions of its people. The biodiesel not only provides a cleaner fuel for the cars, but it also feeds the generator that provides electricity to the community and its eco-hotel, nut-sorting machinery, water purification plant and administrative offices.

More pictures from the trip will be posted on Coffee Kids Flickr site soon.