Sustainable education for development
In 2004, the first steps were made to set up a sustainable educational project in Colombia. The objective was to teach a new generation of coffee farmers and involve the whole community in this. This would help not just students, but parents and teachers get more control over their own development.
Better infrastructure
But the village Pinchote in Santander was lacking in proper infrastructure. So the El Bosque school got a new computer classroom with ten computers and a printer. It also got a dining hall, to ensure a more hygienic and healthy environment for the 73 students.
New programme
The renovated school also led to change in the curricula in the coffee regions. The young people learned how to use the computer, and were taught both in Spanish and in English. But more importantly, they expanded their knowledge on the technical aspects of coffee production and learned skills to help them manage their own business in the future.
Results
At the end of the project, in 2008, a new generation of coffee farmers had been trained. They had learned better management skills and had become experts in sustainable coffee production.
Even today, the school serves as a point of reference and a meeting place for the entire coffee community.
