When we met Rito 5 years ago, he had just sold his coffee crop for $95. His house had a dirt floor and his family had no access to clean water so his kids were always sick. We could see how his family struggled to survive and how much Rito longed for a better life for them.

So we did what we could to support his vision. We helped him improve the quality of his coffee crop. We financed his efforts through micro-credit loans. And then we gave him the best price for his coffee by trading directly with his village co-op Rito’s hard work is paying off.

This year Rito made $1,500 from his coffee crop. His house has a solid cement floor and a well that provides clean water. His family is healthy. His son Selvin just started 9th grade—one of two kids from their village to have made it that far. Our friend has hope.