Most of our customers are aware of our relationship with Agros and they know that Agros is one of the ways the Camano Island Coffee Roasters is able to create hope for many around the globe. At the roasting facility, one of the questions we are asked frequently is, “What does Agros do to create this change?” or (slightly summarized) “How does Agros work?”. I wanted to take the time to share with you a very quick glimpse of the organization called Agros International.
Agros.org states what they are on the front page in a nutshell:
“Agros International is committed to breaking the cycle of povery for rural families in Central America and Mexico by enabling landless communities to achieve land ownership and economic stability. Having learned that the root causes of poverty extend across communities and are passed down from generation to generation, the Agros development model is holistic, sustainable, and focused on long term results. This commitment to the long-term sustainability of a whole community serves to break the cycle of poverty in all its forms.”
What makes Agros work is also what make their organization a perfect fit for our Coffee Lover’s Club members. Agros is NOT an organization that makes a habit of giving out cash, services, or goods to “help” a needy family. They believe, as does CICR, that that doesn’t solve anything. Instead that causes a dependancy that isn’t healthy and doesn’t promote self-sustainability.
Agros creates positive change for the long haul, not for the immediate moment. Their whole style is sustainability through land ownership. The land is purchased by Agros and then sold at cost to the families. This gives those families the opportunity necessary to create a lasting change, which is really what they needed.
“The Agros development process consists of six primary components, and requires an approximate 7-10 year investment.” The components are:
- Community Organization – “Help families define a vision for a new community and develop the local leadership required to create a self-sustaining, thriving community.”
- Land Ownership - “Work with families to identify and purchase agricultural land on credit and use their payments to purchase land for other new communities.”
- Community Education and Training – “Create opportunities for adequate healthcare, education, adult literacy and spiritual growth.”
- Housing and Infrastructure – “Implement community and individual construction projects such as houses, schools, irrigation systems, latrines, infrastructure and community centers.”
- Sustainable Economic Growth – “Develop agricultural production and support income-generating activities through microenterprise loans and technical training.”
- Passing on the Blessing – “Give other communities the opportunity to own land through repaid loans and empower them to dream of a brighter future for their children.”
read more in depth information here
We feel it’s important that our Coffee Lover’s Club customers know exactly what their purchases are doing to create hope for others. Please check out Agros at the following links:
www.agros.org, on Facebook, on Twitter and watch some of their videos on our YouTube channel or the video page on our blog.
Dan – CICR
