Mayra Gomez ( photo courtesy of UCA San Ramon)
Roughly 2 hours from Matagalpa, Nicaragua you can catch a bus through the green mountains to visit a series of food cooperatives in a region known as San Ramon. The final stop is EL ROBLAR and you can find the right bus if you just look for the name painted across its forehead. The road is partly paved but expect some shoulder rubbing with your bus partner! At the final stop in El Roblar, there is a women’s coffee cooperative called El Privilegio. El Privilegio translates to ‘The Privilege’ because according to CAN ” it is a privilege for these women to live, manage and commercialise their own coffee and participate in a strong female cooperative”.
Last year i spent 3 days in El Roblar exploring and learning about the coffee cooperatives in the area. I spent most of my time with two lovely young girls, Joseling and Arleen. I went to speak with local coffee farmers and those involved in ‘El Privilegio’ women’s cooperative. After spending 3 days with Joseling and Arleen i couldn’t help but feel warmth towards them and i became very interested in Joseeling’s life as a 15 year old living in the countryside and amongst the women’s cooperative. My friendship with Joseling led me to conduct an entrevista/interview with her. Of course I also spoke with a member of El Privilegio women’s cooperative. The interview was conducted in spanish and recorded using a voice recorder. A long time coming, but with the help of Lily Ceron Fernandez i have
Estela Pham ( left) with Joseling Gomez(right)
been able to translate the interviews from spanish to english. Both english and spanish versions of the interview can be found below!
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Fecha/ Date: Agusto 11th 2010 / August 11th 2010
Entrevistador/ Interviewer: Estela Pham
Entrevistada/ Interviewee: Mayra Gomez
¿Qué significa UCA San Ramón?
Who is UCA San Ramon?
UCA San Ramón significa unión de cooperativas agropecuarias.
UCA san Ramon represents the union of agricultural cooperative.
¿Qué parte de su café es de comercio justo?
How much of your coffee production is certified fair trade?
Soló tengo café en mercado justo, de productoras pequeñas.100% Por ciento de la produccion de nuestro café se vende en mercado justo.
The only coffee that I have is special coffee, that is coffee that is commercialized from the small productions. A 100% of the coffee that we produce is sold to the fair trade industry.
¿Qué se necesita para vender el café en un comercio justo?
What is necessary for you to sell your coffee through the fair trade market?
Mucha comprensión, porque ya sabemos los criterios que pide el comercio justo para que podamos vender el café atraves de ese mercardo.
A lot of understanding , because we must know the criteria that we must meet in order to sell our coffee through this market.
¿Entonces, cómo se organiza la U.C.A? Como toman las decisiones en la cooperativa?
So who makes the decisions for the direction of the cooperative? Is it UCA San Ramon?
U.C.A tiene una junta directiva, una junta de vigilancia, una red de promotoras. Las decisiónes las tomamos todas las mujeres las que formamos la cooperativa decidimos todos! No solo una!
UCA has a management board and a supervisory board and a promoting network. The decisions that we make include all women. We that form the cooperative decide, it is all of us that decide! There is no one person!
¿Es importante tener una cooperativa que contribuya la sociedad Nicaragua?
Why is it important to have a women’s cooperative in the community?
Es importante tener una cooperativa de Mujeres en la comunidad porque entre mujeres nos ayudamos muturente, las mujeres apartamos a la economia de la comunidad, del país, de la misma cooperativa, por eso es importante una cooperative porqué tambien aprendemos a volararnos como mujeres saber que se somos importantes y podemos aportar a la famila Nicaraguense.
It is important that we have a women’s cooperative in the community because women in the cooperative help each other, the women contribute to the economy, the community, the country, and the cooperative. We also understand that we are valuable as women and that yes, we are important and we can contribute to the family.
¿Cómo es la relación entre la cooperativa de mujeres y el gobierno? Existe alguna otra ayuda fuera del gobierno?
What is the women’s cooperative relationship with the government and the community?
La relación es buena, es cierto. No es directa porque estan los gobiernos municipales, pero es buena la relación y sentimos que es un gobierno sensible y que ayuda a los pequeños y pequeñas productora.En Nicaragua como mujeres somos apoyadas, y sí. Claro! Sí hay más organizaciones que nos apoyar, y para nosotros es mejor nos desarrollamos más, desarrollamos nuestras habilidades, nuestra organización, nuestra producción.
The relationship is good, it is sensible. There is no director because there is the government, but the relationship is good and we feel that it is a caring government and that they help the minority and the small productions.As women in Nicaragua the government supports us, and yes of course there are a lot of organizations that help to support us. Ours is better because we help to develop each other more; we develop our skills, our organization and our production.
¿En la cooperativa hay sólo 24 mujeres…. Entonces,Es la cooperativa una familia?
With 24 women in the cooperative, do you feel that the cooperative is like a family?
Sí, Yo veo la cooperativa como una familia grande porque tenemos confianza, somos solidarias y nos ayudamos una con otra.
Yes, I see the cooperative as a big family because we have trust, we are in solidarity, and we help each other and help others.
¿Cúales son tus sueños y retos en el futuro de la Cooperativa?
What are your hopes for the women’s cooperative in the future?
Que la cooperativa este fortalecida, que sea sostenible y que tambíen nuestros hijos, sean parte de la cooperativa.
In the future we hope that the operation is sustainable and that the cooperative will belong to our children.
Fecha/Date: Agusto 11th 2010 / August 11th 2010
Entrevistador / Interviewer: Estela Pham
Entrevistada / Interviewee:Joseling Gomez
¿Cómo te llamas? Y cuantos años tiene?
What is your name? and how old are you?
Mi nombre es Joseling Gomez y tengo 14 años.
My Name is Joseling Gomez and I am 14 years old.
¿Qué tipo de ayuda necesitan en El Roblar?
What type of support is neccesary for the community ‘El Roblar’?
A nosotros el gobierno manda muchas personas a cacitarse para que vengan a la comunidad, tambien entidades para que hablen sobre temas que nos interesan mucho a las mujeres temas que nos interesan mucho a las mujeres y igualmanera hay muchas organizaciones que nos apoyan mucho en diferentes temas como la sexualidad, la violencia, el maltrato. Si, porque a pesar de todo necesitamos ayuda y conocimiento.
For us, the government gives training to some people in the community. In that way they can teach and support those in our community about different topics such as sexual health and violence. There are also a lot of organizations that support many of these different issues and we rely heavily on this help and knowledge.
¿Entonces, esos programas son importante para su communidad…?
So these programs seem essential to your community….?
Sí, son importantes porque son de gran apoyo, que nos brinda a todos a los jovenes, los hombres y las mujeres y personas de edad porque hay algunos que tienen problemas diferente en sus casas y por medio de los temas que brindan en las charlas que dan, esos problemas se pueden mejorar! Porque la verdad, ha sido de gran apoya las charlas que nos han dado , porque ha sido sobre la salud sexual y reproductiva para jovenes, liderazgo, educación y nos ha servido, porque algunos chavales que no estudian la primaria, ahora estudian de 1 a 5 anos.
Yes, it is important because it is a huge support that is given to all of the children, the men, the women and the seniors. Some of these people have different problems in their houses and through the issues that are present we have talks to help us improve our lives. There has been support for the talks that we have because they have been about sexual health, puberty, leadership, and education. Those who study this are in primary school and now include year 1-5.
¿Por qué La Cooperativa hace parte de la vida activa y social de Nicaragua?
Why is a women’s cooperative important to the life of Nicaragua?
Porque asi, se va reproduciando más nuestras raices como mujeres que somos y porque asi si hay matrato y otros problemas en la sociedad y con las mujeres. En la cooperativa se ven muchas temas que nos ayudan mucho en nuestras vidas… Cúales son esos problemas?… Cómo el maltrato, cuando sus esposos las golpean y la violencia.
We are women and yes, because of this there is mistreatment and other problems to the women in society. However, in the cooperative there are a lot of matters that help us to improve our lives…What are the problems? Mistreatment. For example when the husbands hit their wife and become violent.
¿Como es la educación? Hay oportunidades para que mujeres vayan a la universidad?
What about education? Are women able to attend university?
Si hay oportunidades! Varios hombres y mujeres los que han ido a la universidad. El gobierno nos ha ayudado a ambos a hombres y mujeres… Porque?… Porque algunas mujeres solo podian ir a la primaria.
It is men and women that have the opportunity to go to university. The government does not help both men and women because some women only go to primary school. Most only go to work in the country and that’s it. Now people are taking the initiative to study primary and secondary education. For women yes it is possible to go to university and some even become professional…so that has helped us. Approximately 100-90% study at university.
¿Cuántas personas son en la cooperativa?
How many women are there in the cooperative?
En la cooperativa la principio eran 28, ahora son 24. 2 murieron y 2 viajarón a otro lugar.
At the beginning there were 28 people in the cooperative, now there are 24. 2 have died and 2 have moved to another place.
¿Cúales son tus esperanzas para el futuro dela Cooperativa ‘’El Privilegio’’?
What are your hopes for the future of the cooperative “El Privilegio”?
Quiero que el grupo crezca porque solo hay 24, y que ese grupo se integre más y que sean mujeres reconocidas en el país y la sociedad. Que sean reconocidas en el pais y la sociedad. Que sean reconocidas por su gran trabajo y por la gran dicha que tienen de ser mujeres y que trabajan por mujeres y por su bienestar.
I want the cooperative to grow because there are only 24 members. I also want this group to be more integrated and that women can be recognized in our country and society. The women should be recognized for the great work that they do and for the great sayings that they have spoken and for their healthy way of living.
¿Eres una mujer joven, que oportunidades tienes en tu futuro?
As a young girl in rural Nicaragua, what opportunities do you have for your future?
Tengo la oportunidad y la gran dicha de tener una beca, por el organismo que se llama Arco Iris, y mi trabajo es ayudarle a una Doctora a repartir los medicamentos a llenar expedientes, tengo esa oportunidad de que me toman en cuenta para las diferentes actividades que se hacen en la comunidad en la escuela, y en la cooperativa. Tambíen puedo aprender Inglés y relacioname con otras personas.
I have the opportunity and I am very fortunate to have a scholarship for the organization called Arco Iris, and I work as an assistant to a doctor to distribute medicine, I also have a voice in the community for different activities that happen in the community, at school and in the cooperative. Also I can learn English and I like to meet different people.
¿Tu havas parte de el desarrollo de las expectativas de tu madre?
What expectations does your mother have for your future? Will you be apart of the cooperative?
Sí, Ella espera que yo este en la cooperativa, porque desde ahora estoy en la cooeprativa pero sólo que con el grupo de jovenes. Si, me gusta estar en la cooperativa para impartir temas porque tambíen tengo conocimiento sobre ello.
My mother hopes that I will be in the cooperative. Right now I am in the cooperative but I’m in a group with young people. I would like to contribute to topics because I am knowledgeable about the cooperative.
Thankyou to Joseling and Mayra Gomez from the cooperative El Privilegio for taking the time to show me around. To Agroecoturismo for helping me to organise my time in El Roblar. To Wilfredo & his family for accommodating me & many thanks to Lily Ceron Fernandez who spent time to help me translate the interviews! Muchas gracias!
Posted on January 9, 2012
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