The Trust

What is the Coffeelands Trust?

The Coffeelands Trust is a fund dedicated to providing direct support to victims of conflict who live and work in coffee communities throughout the world. The Trust connects the coffee industry and coffee consumers to victims of conflict and provides much needed resources for a wide range of rehabilitation services and economic development opportunities.

What are the origins of the Trust fund?

Dean Cycon, owner of Deans Beans, a successful coffee roasting company located in Central Massachusetts and Michael Lundquist, Executive Director of the Polus Center for Social & Economic Development, Inc. also located in Massachusetts, have worked for many years in developing countries to promote social and economic justice for some of the worlds most vulnerable groups. Deans Beans and the Polus Center have partnered in the grassroots development projects that have created economic opportunity for “death train” victims in Tapachula, Mexico, assisted people with disabilities to create small businesses in Nicaragua, and worked together to address basic nutritional needs and helped to combat social stigma for people with leprosy in Ethiopia. Dean and Michael have traveled together to assess first hand what death train victims, people with leprosy and coffee farmers have to say about the daily struggles for basic survival that they, their families and their communities face.

In 2005, Dean’s knowledge and experience with coffee farmers and their struggles and Michael’s work with landmine victims allowed them to make the connection between landmines, unexploded ordnances, or UXOs, and coffee. After careful review of the data they determined that landmines and UXOs were present in six of the ten top coffee producing countries in the world and that these deadly devices not only kill and maim coffee farmers and their families, but have a significant negative impact on coffee production and the quality of coffee.

While Princess Diana and the Ottawa Treaty focused the world’s attention on the need to address the landmine issue; the majority of money and resources are directed toward mine removal and mine risk education; very little support is being allocated to direct victim assistance. The rehabilitation of landmine survivors requires more than simply providing an artificial limb. It is a process that involves helping victims re-gain mobility, develop new job skills and to once again live meaningful and productive lives within their communities. Deans Beans and the Polus Center have successfully assisted hundreds of survivors to receive mobility devices (artificial limbs and wheelchairs), and to return to work and community life. This focus on full rehabilitation has given people the ability to have hope for a better life for themselves and their families.

The United States and other donor nations have made substantial progress in the areas of landmine removal and mine risk education, but resources for direct victim assistance have been minimal and will likely continue to be. Because of the lack of resources for rehabilitation services many landmine survivors are facing a very uncertain future. The Coffeelands Trust was created to provide the resources needed.

What is the philosophy behind the Trust?

The Coffeelands Trust gives private industry and individual citizens willing to make a commitment to helping victims of conflict the opportunity to make a difference. The driving principle behind the Trust is simple: it exists to help people to help themselves. Dean and Michael conceived of the Trust as a way for the coffee industry and coffee consumers to provide direct assistance to coffee farmers and their communities so they can address the aftermath of conflict and get back to doing what they are most passionate about – producing quality coffee for the world to enjoy.

Who benefits from the Trust?

Victims of conflict living and working in the coffeelands. A landmine survivor is someone who has stepped on a landmine and suffered physical or psychological harm. The term victim of conflict encompasses not only survivors but also their families and entire communities affected by conflict.

How is it administered?

The Coffeelands Trust Advisory Board works in partnership with the Polus Center for Social & Economic Development, Inc. to administer the Trust. The board has representation from the coffee industry, coffee communities and civic leaders. The Polus Center is a non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to supporting people with disabilities since 1979.

How are funds distributed?

The Trust identifies individuals and communities in the coffeelands affected by conflict. Trust funds go to these individuals and communities to access a full range of rehabilitation services. The Trust works with an In Country Partner in each coffee producing area to distribute Micro-grants and Gifts, to provide funding for Emergency Services (transportation to hospitals, surgery, physical rehabilitation), to track the progress of each person, and to be a conduit between the farming communities, individual farmers, and the Trust. Many of our In Country Partners are organizations that already part of the coffee industry. They bring with them the experience of working with the farming communities, and understand what constitutes relevant support.

What countries does the Trust operate in?

The Coffeelands Trust, through the generosity of several major coffee corporations and assistance from both non-governmental and governmental organizations, has already begun working with communities in Central America and Colombia. We began work in these particular coffee areas because we already had working partnerships with several organizations there, and could quickly and efficiently implement funding. The Trust is currently working to create similar partnerships in Southeast Asia and Africa.