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Recent News: Help by Drinking Gourmet Coffee!
On November 4, 2013, Emiliani International, in partnership with The Emiliani Project, will begin taking orders for our first line of specialty Colombian coffee. We are calling it the Ximena roast – named after Ximena Lizeth Cuartas, a 5 year-old little girl living at the Gente Unida children’s home near Medellin, Colombia. The Ximena roast is made from 100% Colombian speciality coffee beans, imported to the United States from the coffee region near the new children’s home being built by The Emiliani Project. All profits from the sale of the coffee will go directly to The Emiliani Project in support of the construction and operation of the new home for orphaned and abandoned children.
The Colombian beans will be imported into the United States by Bodhi Leaf Coffee Traders. Bodhi Leaf Coffee is a Southern California coffee trading company that works directly with the farmers in Colombia, ensuring “fair trade” relationships in order to promote greater economic benefits to the local farmer and high quality, consistent coffee beans for our Ximena roast. The Ximena roast will be available for purchase through our online store November 4.
Our gourmet coffees will be sold both to generate revenue for the new home in Colombia, and to raise awareness for these children and the great need they have of our help. Each roast will be named after an orphaned child, and will include his or her photo, along with a brief summary of his or her story. The Ximena roast features Ximena Lizeth Cuartas, but future roasts will feature different Colombian orphans being helped by the efforts of The Emiliani Project.
Our coffees will offer our customers a terrific cup of coffee at a reasonable price, and the added knowledge that they are helping children in great need of saving. Our mission with our coffees is to raise money and awareness, but also to provide a high-quality, great tasting coffee.
The Story of Ximena
Ximena Lizeth Cuartas was abandoned two years ago by her mother, a young girl herself that worked as a prostitute in the streets of Medellin. Today Ximena lives in the Gente Unida home, just 30 minutes north of Medellin. The home is operated by our good partner Fundacion Gente Unida who is helping us build our new home in Caldas. Ximena lives at the home with her two brothers – Julian Alexander (2 years old) and Keiner David (7 years old), along with the 137 other children at the home.
Home Construction Update
We had our final meeting with the city of Caldas this month to discuss the final architectural designs for new construction. The Mayor and her team loved the designs. They proposed an expansion to the existing public school at the edge of the property using city funds, something which would benefit both the children living in the home and the local community. The plan is currently being reviewed. Meantime, renovations continue on the existing structures. We are planning a visit in October to see the latest changes.