Producer Profiles

Finca La Frontera

Finca La Frontera is a banana plantation located in the Urabá region of Colombia. Urabá has suffered some of the worst violence in the decade-long civil war in Colombia. Thankfully, the region is relatively peaceful now and communities are rebuilding. However, because the region is still influenced by drug traffickers, legitimate employment, which offers workers and their families a better avenue to escape poverty, is vital to keep the youth out of the drug trade. Fair Trade helps employ farmers and families in the community and provide fair and stable wages, and much-needed development programs.
 

Quotable

“

The extra income has been beneficial for our family. We are thankful for the support the farmers gave us, and we hope that every day our sales will be better than the last.  ”

Monica Cordoba
“

We enjoy being in our house to the maximum. It is now more pleasant, more spacious and has more comforts for us to enjoy.  ”

Delio Mosquero
“

My son enjoys his wheelchair every day – he goes out visiting and goes to watch the soccer games he loves so much.  ”

Farid's Mother

Programs

Small Business Loans

La Frontera used Fair Trade premiums to fund small loans for start-up businesses by farm workers and their immediate family. Such projects provide additional income for families.

A New Field for Community Sports

La Frontera dedicated Fair Trade premium funds to the construction of a new sports facility. They allocated funding to level and prepare a field, plant grass and install the goals and nets for a new community soccer field in the “24th of December” neighborhood. The field is open to players of all ages. In fact, the farm spent additional funding to cover various costs of running a soccer tournament for children, which paid for uniforms, referees, balls, paper and office supplies for keeping track of tournament progress, and field maintenance. Ten teams, each consisting of fifteen children between the ages of ten and 14 participated; all told, 150 children from the community were able to enjoy this healthy form of recreation.

Wheelchair Donation

La Frontera’s workers have decided to share the benefits of their Fair Trade premium with their community. In 2008, the group chose to help a local youth named Farid Pitalua. Due to a physical condition, Farid could not walk and his family could not afford a wheelchair; La Frontera’s workers contributed $USD 317.00 to buy him one. Each year, farm workers collectively decide who in the community is in most need and how Fair Trade premiums could be spent to help them specifically.