Completed project
Social Economy and Fair Trade (Guatemala)
July 2009 to March 2014
Foreign Affairs
Trade and Development Canada (DFATD) via the Uniterra program
18,000 beneficiaries
groups, producer associations in rural Guatemala
Comisión Interinstitucional de Comercio Justo y Solidario Casa de Cervantes Aj Quen Tikonel Ak'Tenamit Guatemalan Exporters’ Association (AGEXPORT)
Kiej de los Bosques Asociación para el Desarrollo Comunitario de Huehuetenango (ASDECOHUE) Grupo Ceiba Unión Nacional de Mujeres Guatemaltecas (UNAMG)
Skills and Volunteers for Greater Solidarity in Business
In Guatemala, many artisans and small producers possess unique skills that unfortunately do not always enable them to escape poverty. In this country of Central America, marketing products remains an important challenge and artisans and small producers need a better access to national and international markets in order to obtain a fair price for their goods. Through the volunteer cooperation program Uniterra, CECI supports exchanges and skill-building activities for small producers’ organizations in efforts to secure them more equitable revenues and better living conditions.
Volunteer missions have therefore been established to develop management systems for small- and medium-sized fair trade organizations, and/or to support them in their marketing and communication activities so as to add value to their products and services, at home and abroad.
In Guatemala, one of the development strategy is to organize Fair Trade exhibitions. CECI supported the organization of three national Fair Trade exhibitions since 2010. The aim of these exhibitions is to promote Fair Trade, put it on the map and foster the marketing of its products. By showcasing over 40 of the country’s organizations, it enabled producers to develop their clientele and access new markets for their quality products.
During the past four years, the Uniterra program strengthened the capacities of 6,748 Guatemalan small producers (80% of which are women) in order to enable them to offer better products and services. Their incomes increased by 30% thanks to these efforts. It also increased their access to basic services, vocational training, employment and self-employment opportunities.
Such testimony clearly illustrates the relevance of CECI’s strategy of supporting organizations through the Uniterra volunteer program. With the development of local partnerships and mobilization of skilled volunteers, we are committed to effective reduction of poverty by encouraging business exchanges that are more just, more respectful and reflect more solidarity.