Divine chocolate is made from cocoa beans grown by Ghana's Kuapa Kokoo, a democratic cooperative made up of 40,000 cocoa farmers. By uniting and selling directly to international buyers, the farmers are paid a fair price for their harvests, and more of the profit goes back into the farming communities to build wells and schools, and to fund mobile medical clinics. Equally important is Kuapa Kokoo's commitment to "increase women's participation in all of Kuapa's activities, and to develop environmentally friendly cultivation of cocoa." (Read about Helena Bempong, a Kuapa cocoa farmer, in “A Tale of Two Women,” part of Lutheran Woman Today’s October Fair Trade issue.)

Following the success of the LWR Coffee Project  and the LWR Handcraft Project, the LWR Chocolate Project encourages Lutheran congregations to satisfy their cravings while stimulating discussion and forums about their own roles in justice and fair trade. They suggest Divine chocolate as the perfect product for fundraisers, new member and staff or volunteer appreciation gift baskets, holiday treats, or for members to purchase and enjoy at home. Get your church involved, and find out how sweet justice can be.

For more information on bringing the LWR Chocolate Project to your congregation, call 1-800-LWR-LWR-2.

Read about Helena Bempong, a Kuapa cocoa farmer, in “A Tale of Two Women,” part of Lutheran Woman Today’s October Fair Trade issue.

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Do Justice: Come on a LWR Study Visit especially For College and University Students and Faculty

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*A Café exclusive: At least one Café subscriber will be guaranteed a spot on the trip!

Do you need coffee to get you through the day. . . an important deadline. . . finals week?

You are not alone

Besides your fellow latté fans, Some some 25 million people—coffee including the farmers and their families who mostly live around the equator—depend on coffee to provide for their most basic needs. Surprisingly,  despite the fact that even though coffee is the second most highly traded commodity in the world, most of the people who grow coffee are without access to proper healthcare, nutrition, education, or sanitation.

You can see for yourself

Get firsthand experience and information by joining Do Justice: The LWR Coffee Project. This Lutheran World Relief Study Visit to Nicaragua invites you to listen and learn right in the homes and communities of the coffee growers. At least one Café subscriber and several other trip participants will be well cared for with triple accompaniment. In addition to language and cultural interpretation from the Augsburg Center for Global Education, participants will travel with an Equal Exchange staff member who will serve as a fair trade resource. Plus, the group will be shepherded by a Lutheran pastor who helped develop the LWR Coffee Project and who continues to implement it on a grassroots level.

You can help

At the trip’s end, you will return with a broader perspective and deeper understanding of the reality your Nicaraguan sisters and brothers face. You may be moved to advocate for justice through prayer, reflection on root causes of poverty, the sharing of resources, story telling, or consumer and citizen action.

Travel to Central America with Lutheran World Relief with Do Justice: The LWR Coffee Project. Whether you are looking for a unique service learning project, or simply something different for J-term, This rare opportunity lets you be a part of the journey towards greater global service.

An LWR study visit to Nicaragua

January 2-9 10, 2004

$775 includes in-country meals, lodging, transportation, program activities, translation, educational materials, and airport entry/exit taxes. (Does not include airfare.)

This trip is planned with the expertise of Augsburg Center for Global Education and Equal Exchange, LWR Coffee Project partner. For more information, contact Terri Speirs:

e-mail: tspeirs@lwr.org  phone: 651.523.1630

http://www.elca.org/offsite.asp?url=http://www.lwr.org/study

The study visit is being planned in coordination with Equal Exchange and Augsburg Center for Global Education.

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