CODECH

Coordinadora de Organizaciones de Desarrollo de Concepción Huista

Coffees from the women members of CODECH were among the earliest catalysts for the creation and expansion of our Women Coffee Producer program. CODECH (Coordinadora de Organizaciones de Desarrollo de Concepcion Huista) is a second-level cooperative that comprises 10 member organizations; it was founded in 1998 in an effort to provide alternative development opportunities within the community of Concepcion Huista, Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

One of CODECH’s primary objectives is to increase women’s equity, and the association also provides services and support for members such as educational and professional workshops, medical attention, correspondence classes, agriculture extension services, and self-esteem and leadership forums.

The associations of CODECH separate coffee from the participating women members, who each own and/or manage their own farms. The women are paid a premium for their coffee, and they have agreed as a group to apply half of the premium to health-care programs and workshops specifically targeting the high infant-mortality rate in Concepcion Huista.