by Vancouver Courier
Her husband was assaulted by a dozen men dressed as police
officers. They were kidnapped and later released by a guerilla
group. After that, it was time for Martha Lucia Bowen, her husband
and two small children to leave Colombia.
Although Bowen wanted to leave the perils of Colombia behind, the
40-year-old resident of West Vancouver also wants to see the
country's poorest farmers progress, so she founded Latin Organics,
an ethical certified organic and certified fair trade coffee
company, which started operations in late 2005.
Bowen trades directly with Arhuaco Indians, indigenous farmers who
live near Vallevupar, the town in Northern Colombia where she was
born. "The social mission and the reason for me having started this
company is because I really want to help eradicate illicit crops in
Colombia. And I truly believe that if I prove to the Colombian
government and to different local organizations that organic
agriculture is a way out of poverty, then I'll just get more
farmers on board," Bowen says. "That way we will start building and
helping them with their livelihood, but we will also be helping
recuperate soils and water resources in Colombia that have been
poorly managed throughout the last 30, 40, 50 years."
Her beans come by boat to Vancouver where they're roasted and
packaged in bags made in Latin America. When they sell out, as they
did in the middle of August, Bowen waits for the next harvest
instead of going to fair trade coffee brokers. She's committed to
the growers she's built a relationship with in Colombia, and pays
them more than the highest fair trade price for their beans.
Latin Organics recently received its second shipment of beans
after a lengthy delay. The farmers missed the boat twice in
Colombia, an earthquake in Peru delayed the ship, U.S. customs
officials performed two intensive searches on the cargo container
in Los Angeles, and Canada Customs officers performed another
intensive search in Vancouver. Bowen says the extra headaches are
worth it. "We're helping them believe in themselves," she says.
"We're empowering them to really, truly believe that they can do
business in this direct way, that they don't have to feel obliged
in signing future sale contracts with coffee brokers."
Her 454 gram bags of light, medium, medium dark roast and espresso
beans retail for $13.99 to $15.99 at Bosa Foods, 562 Victoria Dr.
and 1465 Kootenay St.; selected London Drugs, Capers, Gourmet
Warehouse, 1340 East Hastings St.; Urban Fare, 177 Davie St. and
Drive Organics, 1045 Commercial Dr. For more information, see
latinorganics.com.
» Article in Vancouver Courier "Sales of Fair Trade Organic Coffee may Help
Alleviate Poverty in Colombia- Drink It"