Our Cocoa Fair Harvest program in the Dominican Republic provides a direct connection to the improvements that socially responsible planters, growers, manufacturers and consumers are making less than a two hour flight from Miami. This Reality Tour will include opportunities to trek, volunteer, learn, explore history, and personally witness the close contact between the wealthy and the working poor of one of the United State's closest neighbors. The Dominican Republic has over 9 million people and is more than twice the size of the state of Massachusetts. Global Exchange is encouraging chocolate lovers from around the world to join with our local partners, Grupo CONACADO and El Fuego del Sol as we explore benefits of Fair Trade cocoa and sustainable harvest, renewable technology and Geotourism in the Dominican Republic.

  The CONACADO cooperative was founded in 1988 and joined the Fair Trade system in 1995. The Dominican Republic's tourism industry has increased significantly in recent years but this has not helped small farmers in the inner part of the country, many of whom are still struggling to survive. Even most of CONACADO's small-scale farmers must also work on bigger plantations because their cocoa revenues do not meet their needs. As a result, farmers are limited in the time and money they can direct towards their own crops. CONACADO has about 9,000 members, who belong to 126 smaller cooperatives that are organized into regional groups called "bloques." Each bloque differs according to member needs, though each has a Board, Assemblies and Producer Committees. Each bloque also organizes exchange visits and workshops focused on agricultural and administrative topics. Local and national staff work with the Producer Committees to develop annual work plans, organize special activities, and evaluate loans. Conacado's goals are to generate work and income for disadvantaged groups, increase quality and productivity, foster direct trade relationships, and provide credit and technical assistance.

  El Fuego del Sol Geotourism Ecovillage is a company and property in development that is dedicated to improving the ecological and social environment of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The project is located in the countryside of the DR with the goal of encouraging the millions of tourists who visit every year to focus on how they can improve the lives of local Dominicans as the learn more about the culture, food, history and ecology of the country. El Fuego del Sol works with local organizations including Conacado to connect the bests ecological projects in the country with visitors from around the world.

  Fair Harvesters will have a diverse experience in the DR: joining in the harvest of cocoa in the Dominican countryside, working and learning every aspect of Fair Trade cocoa production and delivery in the DR, sharing traditional Dominican meals cooked in the ecological technology of solar ovens, and visiting the historic colonial city of Santo Domingo. Participants will live on site at El Fuego del Sol, and learn first hand the life of the working poor including the benefits that Fair Trade brings. A wide variety of issues will be witnessed, Fair Labor practices, the issues of Haitians in the Dominican Republic, human trafficking, micro-lending, and sustainable harvest techniques. The trip will feature the activities of one of CONACADO's largest Bloques in the country.   Join our work to create cultural enrichment through beneficial travel, and help build the path toward development that is designed to leave no local workers behind. Learn extensively about many aspects of Dominican culture, and see how your purchasing preferences toward delicious Fair Trade chocolate have a direct effect on the people who provide the product for you. Help deliver hope for the future along with your travel dollars to a country that is one of the most promising developing democracies a short flight from the United States.

Program Highlights:

• This Reality Tour will include opportunities to trek, volunteer, learn, explore history, and personally witness the close contact between the wealthy and the working poor of one of the United State's closest neighbors. The Dominican Republic has over 9 million people and is more than twice the size of the state of Massachusetts. Global Exchange is encouraging chocolate lovers from around the world to join with our local partners, Grupo CONACADO and El Fuego del Sol as we explore benefits of Fair Trade cocoa and sustainable harvest, renewable technology and Geotourism in the Dominican Republic.

Cost: $1400-$1600 depending on group size

Price Includes:

• Double-room accommodations; ground transportation including airport pick-up and drop-off; Global Exchange bilingual delegation leader; preparatory reading and orientation materials; admission and fees to all program activities; two meals a day (breakfast and dinner).
• NOT INCLUDED: airfare, airport departure taxes, lunches, tips, and personal expenses. Single rooms are available for an additional $200.
• Please note: All Global Exchange participants should arrive and depart from Santo Domingo (SDQ), and those arriving and departing on scheduled delegation dates will receive airport transfers. Also, should you have any time constraints, we are happy to accommodate shorter stays.
• The price for this trip depends on the amount of participants: $1600 each with a group of 6-8 participants, $1500 each with a group of 9-10 participants or $1400 each with a group of 11-14 participants.

How to Register:

This trip will be as diverse as possible in terms of race, age and life experiences. We strongly urge people of color to apply. In some cases, a limited number of partial scholarships are available for low-income applicants.

Make your reservation online now!

Contact Corina with any questions about this trip, or call toll-free 1-800-497-1994 ext. 247.