The movement to create the Santo Domingo cooperative began under the leadership of Orfa Constanza, who together with local women saw an opportunity to improve their lives and socioeconomic status through organic coffee production. Forming the cooperative wasn’t easy— the idea was off-putting to their husbands at first, who were accustomed to a culture of patriarchy in rural Guatemala. Over time, however, the women each gained title to their own parcels of land, either through their husbands or through inheritance.

The journey to achieve specialty coffee production was challenging for the small community of La Libertad, but they have proven themselves to be profoundly ambitious and determined, and now produce exceptional lots for the International market.

Through training from their umbrella cooperative, FECCEG (Federación Comercializadora de Café Especial de Guatemala), Santo Domingo manages their own biofabricas (organic fertilizer and fungicide plants) that are essential to improving soil and plant health and combatting diseases such as Roya. The biofabricas have been so successful that they have actually provided an additional revenue stream for the community, as their fertilizer is far more cost- effective than commercial alternatives.