We are sponsoring highly motivated individuals to travel to Nicaragua and work with a Fair Trade coffee cooperative. Participants will live with a cooperative member family and work along side the farmers for 4 to 5 days. Nicaraguan campesinos have been in the forefront of the growing Fair Trade movement, allowing them to receive enough money from their crops to support themselves and their families. This is a unique opportunity to experience the other side of the struggle for social and economic justice. Fair Harvest is not intended to be a tour or tourist visit, but rather to be a lived experience that will motivate the participants to be committed activists when they return.

For the remaining part of the trip participants will meet with indigenous peoples fighting for indigenous and land rights as well as with campesino and human rights organizations working towards social justice. Participants will also learn about the threat of free trade agreements and development plans on Nicaragua's environment and biodiversity and about workers rights issues in Nicaraguan manufacturing zones.

Qualifications: Participants must be capable, self-reliant individuals with at least basic to low intermediate Spanish language ability.

We also expect you to work on a Fair Trade campaign in your community when you return. This may include talking to the media, giving presentations, writing articles, asking your local stores to buy fair trade products, etc.

Program Highlights:

• * Visit to a Fair Trade Certified Coffee cooperative and learn about Fair Trade in Nicaragua.
• * Stay and work at a coffee cooperative in Nicaragua's agricultural north (4-5 days).
• * Meet with indigenous peoples fighting for indigenous and land rights.
• * Learn about the threat of free trade agreements and development plans on Nicaragua's environment and biodiversity
• * Meet with a campesino and human rights organizations working towards social justice.
• * Learn about worker's rights issues in Nicaraguan manufacturing zones.
• * Meet with a labor organizer and if possible with members of the Sandinista Trade Union movement.
• * Receive an overview of US/Nicaraguan international relations by a specialist, and also hear a lecture on Nicaragua today (current sociopolitical and economic trends).

Cost: $790

Price Includes:

• Lodging accommodations
• On-gruond transportation including airport pick-up and drop-off
• Global Exchange leader and translator
• Preparatory reading and orientation materials
• Admission and fees to all program activities
• Two meals a day (breakfast and dinner)
• * * NOT INCLUDED is airfare, lunches, airport departure taxes, tips, room service charges, travel insurance, and personal expenses.
• * * Single rooms are available for an additional $200.

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 Andrea with any questions about this trip, or call toll-free 1-800-497-1994 ext. 221.