Paula Garcia – La Ceiba Coffee Cooperative

In the community of Villa del Carmen, located in Llano Norte, in the district of La Pintada, Coclé province, Paula García’s life has been marked by agriculture. Since she was a child, Paula dreamed of working the land, but the lack of opportunities and markets to sell her products meant that her efforts were in vain. Her family’s economic situation was precarious; her father was unemployed and the scarcity of income made life a constant sacrifice. However, everything changed with the arrival of Cobre Panama. The mine not only brought employment and economic development to the region, but also opened up new opportunities for local farmers. Paula recalls how, before the mine, no one would buy what they produced. The lack of income in the community limited the possibilities for growth and sustainability. But with the arrival of the company, the situation began to transform.

When that Minera Panama company came, it changed our quality of life.

In 2017, Paula joined a reforestation project that eventually gave way to coffee planting. This initiative not only gave her the opportunity to work on what she loved, but also taught her about coffee cultivation and production. Thanks to the support of Cobre Panama, which provided fertilizers and labor, Paula was able to see how her life and that of her peers changed for the better. The La Ceiba Coffee Cooperative became a symbol of hope and progress in the community. As Paula delved deeper into the world of coffee, her confidence grew. She learned about the cultivation process, from how long a seedling should be in the tube to when is the right time to take it to the farm. Her dedication and effort began to bear fruit, and her dream of becoming an entrepreneur became more and more tangible. Paula aspired to buy her own packing machine and a pulper to diversify the flavors of her coffee. She felt empowered and proud to be part of a project that not only benefited her family, but also the entire community.

The news of the mine closure hit Villa del Carmen like a bolt of lightning. The community, which had experienced an economic and social renaissance, was once again faced with uncertainty. Paula and her fellow cooperative members felt that everything they had achieved was in jeopardy. Frustration set in as they realized that they were about to return to the life they had led before the mine’s arrival. Paula watched as many of her companions, who had found a new way of life in farming, began to worry about their future. The possibility of returning to a life of poverty and lack of opportunity loomed over them like a shadow.

I knew the before and after. I knew the present too, and it was very good. Now, again we fell back to the way we lived before.

Despite adversity, Paula continues to believe that it is possible to grow coffee sustainably and responsibly. In her heart, she believes that responsible mining and agriculture can coexist, and that both can contribute to the well-being of the community. Paula is also frustrated by the misinformation surrounding mining. She often hears comments about pollution and environmental damage, but she knows from her experience with the cooperative and farming that this is not the case. In her community, the rivers are clean and fish live in them, indicating that there is no pollution. Paula wonders why their work is being singled out as harmful, when in fact they are taking care of the environment and promoting sustainable practices.

The arrival of Cobre Panama has changed Paula’s life and that of many others, and although the mine’s closure represents a setback, Paula refuses to give up. Her entrepreneurial spirit and her love for agriculture drive her forward, looking for new ways to overcome the difficulties. Her struggle to keep the Café La Ceiba cooperative alive and to find opportunities in the midst of adversity is a reflection of people’s desire to thrive. Paula’s story is a call to action, an invitation to reflect on the impact that economic decisions can have on communities and the environment.