Hola from Don Pablo!
The phrase "breaking the cycle of poverty" often resonates with us, but what does it truly entail? Is it a tangible process, and if so, when and how does it kickstart?
It's undeniably real and centers around individuals brimming with determination. Take Kristeli, for instance. She joined our family team a year ago, initially to assist in caring for Natalia. However, over time, it became evident that she's a wellspring of untapped potential. As both a family and a company, we saw she had talent and a strong determination, and we're thrilled to embrace these qualities in those we welcome into our fold.
In Guatemala, the lack of opportunities is always present, young talent does not have a good platform to strive for what they have to offer. Sara and I decided that we want to develop that platform through our coffees, support and admire people with talent, and who are striving to have a better life for themselves and their families.
About six months went by and we started realizing that Kristeli was looking for opportunities to study. She is 21 years old, and tried to apply for the local government university but wasn’t able to make it happen.
We realized she was looking for other opportunities, and applied for our microcredit program to get a laptop. We were able to help her make that happen. At the time, she was getting ready to attend a private university. Recently, we heard only 2% of our entire population makes it to attend any type of University and get a degree.
Kristeli’s reality is that she started working at 10 years old. She was in 4th grade when she started working to make sure her family had enough income. She is the second of four; she has 2 brothers and 1 sister. Kristeli, shared how her entire family is always looking for a better future for them. Proof of that is that Kristeli finished high school even though she started working so young (as a lot of kids do in Guatemala). It is a tough reality for sure.
We make it clear: “The Natalia Blend” is a delicious coffee that was created to impact lives one way or another, to make your palate happy and get you inspired, to support families with premature babies, to support our microcredit program that helps students get their technological tools like laptops, or to empower young women like Kristeli to have that chance to impact her life.
Recently, Kristeli was able to enroll at a private University and she will be starting classes on February 7th, 2024. She was so excited! Sara went with her to help her with all the paperwork to make this happen. She will be the first family member (that includes all relatives) to enroll and attend a private university. This was the main event for her entire family, and we are very happy to know, that the Natalia Blend is helping provide 50% of her monthly cost for the next 4 years. We strive to help others by providing them with effective opportunities that, if they choose, can impact their lives and their families.
