Blasercafé and the Lindenhof group

Clinic reconstruction in Guatemala

The new clinic was inaugurated in March 2022, the happy ending to a long story (first-time readers of this article will find all the information about the project further down in the text). In summer and early fall, the access road was also renewed and the clinic, the "Puesto de Salud", has become a place where employees and patients feel safe and comfortable and where the care of the sick and injured is guaranteed at a good level. The constant power supply, which is guaranteed by a new solar system, is also particularly appreciated.

Would you like to find out more about the project? Jurik Rockenbach, our contact from the Ulrich Gurtner Kappeler Foundation, regularly talks to the local people and gives them a voice here.

Looking back

After the small health center of the community of El Boquerón was destroyed by the tropical storms Eta and Iota in 2020, the population immediately made efforts to build a new one. The very active village development commission initially bought a piece of land that was far away from the nearest body of water, but also had to be newly developed. In addition, the commission, led by Adín Mazariegos, a young coffee farmer, contacted all the organizations and institutions that could possibly contribute to the new building.

Based on the experience of the national health authorities, it quickly became clear that the construction costs could only be met with help from third parties. The project envisaged a slightly larger building than the one that had been destroyed, which would ideally be protected by a fence and a secure gate and supplied with electricity autonomously. It was also clear that the access roads from the entire catchment area would have to be improved: a bold undertaking! However, it was clear that we could count on the local population, who are always willing to do voluntary work in such cases.

The project - drinking coffee and supporting reconstruction

Since the beginning of our partnership with the Lindenhof Group, Blasercafé and the Lindenhof Group have each donated 50 centimes per kilogram of coffee sold to support a socially responsible project. Both companies have decided to make a concrete difference together. We are directly and directly connected to the country of origin of our coffees and the well-being of people along the entire value chain is important to us.

Clinic reconstruction in Guatemala - providing meaningful support on site

The reconstruction of the small, completely destroyed health center was considered a priority. The Cooperativa Agua Dulce project is managed by the Ulrich Gurtner Kappeler UGK Foundation. The project was brought to us thanks to our long-standing and established partnership with the foundation and we are in direct and direct contact with the project managers on site. Guatemala was hit hard by hurricanes ETA and IOTA during the 2020 rainy season. The coffee communities were severely damaged by rainfall, landslides and storms. In the community of El Boquerón in Agua Dulce, Guatemala, there were extreme landslides that destroyed the existing health center. Although there is no doctor in El Boquerón, there is a male and female nurse. Both are from the village and are trained for this task, so that they can treat most patients well. The staff is supported by ten citizens of the community. Comadronas, midwives based in Agua Dulce, are responsible for pregnancies and births. With a population of around 2,500 people in the four villages in the catchment area, an average of 20 people a day use the clinic's services from 8 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon. The project supports the reconstruction of this health center by the local population.