parishoffrenchvillage fair trade iniative

Fairtrade is a movement using the efficiency of the international market-based commercial system to restore some wealth to developing countries in the south that have been unfairly extracted by the First World over the past 300 years of colonialism. It provides the hard working people of the southern devoloping countries with a fair price for their products, primarily coffee beans. It costs $.80-$.90/lb (US) to produce coffee. When the world price paid by the multinational corporations, who control the coffee industry, was $.50lb(US), the Fairtrade growers were being paid a guaranteed $1.26/lb(US). In addition to paying the growers a fair price, the premiums are used to build schools, clinics, clean water supplies etc. There are strict rules associated with Fairtrade, one of which is that the growers must be democratically organized as Co-ops where every member has a vote.

In January 2005, the Parish of French Village took an innovative step to help the 230 members of Buena Vista, Mexico expand their communications. By selling Fair Trade coffee, the parish raised $2,100 for the community. This money was sent to the villagers of Buena Vista (who would normally have to walk for two hours to make an urgent telephone call) as a Christmas present from the Parish of French Village, which was used to purchase an antenna that now connects the village to the Internet and makes it possible to use a program called skype- an Internet-based calling system that allows users to call anywhere in the world free of charge. Needless to say, this piece of modern equipment has brought a priceless amount of knowedge and opportunity to the hard working people of Buena Vista and joy to the Parish of French Village.

The latest email message to Harry Cook from Father Francisco (February 2011)

Hi Harry,

At this moment in Buena Vista they are rather busy to harvest the coffee, the main product of our people. The price of coffee has gone up rather unexpectedly. There is a lot of speculation going on in the New York Futures and on top of this there is not enough coffee produced last year and this year will also be rather low. Last year UCIRI could pay 30 pesos to the farmers, but this year the price is at 50 pesos, which is covering the cost and leaves some money to spare.

In Buena Vista: the school is finished and this year they could remodel the primary school (the kinder is new and made possible by your help), build a good toilet facility. That is working fine. The system of public light in the two streets is functioning well and people are very happy with it because at dark there is enough illumination to go out without falling over stones etc. The municipality of Lachiguiri has taken over the cost for the electricity for the street illumination, which is an obligation, but in the beginning they were not so cooperative to do it. But that is solved in good faith. Of the project for the school we have still some money left (260 dollar almost, in Mexican pesos, which is fluctuating in value) which we are using to buy schoolbooks for the children. There is some tension in the village over a health care center in the bigger village where BV people have to go for help in case of sickness, bruises and the like. The nurse was no so collaborative for some of our people and creating divisions: some got help others did not. But bit by bit this could be solved to a decent level so that people can get along although differences remain. Nothing human is foreign to our people and 'competition' is also creeping into some minds. The roads are open again, but still in bad shape. The harvest is regular, not good, not bad. The heavy rains have affected some in the process, as UCIRI, to renew several coffee fields with varieties that can stand the climate change which is occurring in our area, like in many others in the world today.

At this moment we are looking for some funding for children who will leave high school in the main village and want to continue with study on University level coming school year. (September on). We are trying to find some scholarships for them. Parents can in no way pay the tuition fees. We are looking into the possibility that a government agency for Indian people will take care of this, but they will only support 50%. Each scholarship is 850 dollars, that means we have to find 425 to match the grant of Indian affairs. If the community could gather some money for this purpose it would be marvelous. Two want to go to the agricultural university (a more technical school in the valley, not so far away of the family, a 80 km) and one wants to to to a University for fishing and marine life.

I am fine, too much work to do! My health is ok, but have lost some energy (old age?) and cannot work so much in the field. People are helping me out to harvest my coffee!

Best Wishes and take care. Saludos de Francisco.