Borrower Profile: Maria Mendoza

Maria depulping coffee beans on her farm. photo by Michael Kienitz

Maria Mendoza raises coffee, corn, beans and a variety of livestock on her 25.5-acre rural Nicaragua farm.

Maria’s first husband was a member of a co-op. When he died 17 years ago, Maria took over the farm and joined Cooperative La Esperanza, one of the 12 cooperatives that make up the WCCN partner agency of CECOCAFEN, the Central Coffee Cooperative of the North.

Before joining the co-op, Maria and her family only raised corn and beans. Now due to training and access to credit and international markets from CECOCAFEN, Maria grows coffee on 5.1 acres.

She credits coffee for improving her family’s quality of life. “There is a lot more income from coffee,” she said. “Before, my kids did not attend school, but now because of higher coffee prices they can attend school.”

Loans from the co-op have helped Maria keep her farm going. She has had one loan each year for the last 17 years. Her last loan was for $190 to hire labor to prune and fertilize coffee plants. The co-op also has taught her how to care for livestock to improve her family’s nutrition and diversify her income. She has purchased three pigs, a milk cow and 15 chickens to better feed her family and to sell in the local markets.

Maria likes farming and does not even consider it hard work. She said, “It is natural to be a farmer because I grew-up in the country and I am used to the work.”