The indigenous Kichwa live deep in Ecuadors Amazonian rainforest, a region whose particular climate and geology conditions are ideal for growing cacao, especially the rare Cacao Nacional variety, prized for its floral, fruity, black peppery flavor. But for years, the beans fetched meager prices about 20 cents a pound as the Kichwa sold their harvest […]
Saving the Potatoes of the Andes
The potato was originally domesticated around the shores of Lake Titicaca, and the Andes are still home to thousands of potato varieties. Potatoes here come in a rainbow of colours: red, pink, purple, yellow, orange, black, blue. This invaluable wealth of genetic diversity is at risk from increasing agricultural standardization and climate change, but a […]
The Sweet Scent of Community Empowerment
Get close to a tourist in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and you might catch the light fragrance of lavender. Ask them about it and they will describe the finely packaged bars of soap in their hotel room and the delicate aroma that lingers with them throughout the day. Drive a short distance up the […]
Saving the Village Pub
Early in 2011 a group of about 100 residents of the Cumbrian village of Crosby Ravensworth, in the Lakes Districts Lyvennet Valley, gathered in the village hall. At issue was the impending closure of the parish’s only remaining pub, the Butcher’s Arms. In the hall that night a vote was taken to save the pub. […]
Growing from nothing to the fastest growing medical clinic in the province
December 2001, Argentina. The Argentine economy is in ruins, the peso-denominated bank accounts of its middles classes have been frozen in the corralito as it is colloquially referred to, while the foreign-denominated bank accounts of its wealthy elite are protected. Downtown in Argentinas second largest city, Córdoba, a private medical clinic is on its last […]
Our Coffee Co-operative
Our Coffee Co-operative at Reddish Vale Technology College, a co-operative school near Stockport, North West England, sells Oromio coffee in school and to the local community, helping both Ethiopian refugees in the UK and the Oromio community in Ethiopia. It is a member of Young Co-operatives, a free scheme offered by the Co-operative College in […]
From cohabitation to services across a territory
It started with ten disabled and non-disabled people living together in a small flat. Now the Gruppo 78 cooperative has grown into a regional network of residential and day centres, protected housing, employment projects and workshops, providing assistance to hundreds of people with mental health and social problems. The current director, Santo Boglioni, was also […]
Birmingham Bike Foundry
Cycling is inexpensive, environmentally friendly, good exercise, often faster than public transport, reduces traffic congestion. What’s not to like? Unfortunately public policy is not always bicycle-oriented, and many people, especially women, are unwilling to get on a bike. Birmingham Bike Foundry, a workers’ cooperative that recycles bikes and offers cycle training, is hoping to convince […]
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
NRECA is the national trade association that represents America’s nearly 900 local electric cooperatives. These co-ops power 56% of the American landscape and serve 42 million people. NRECA works to advocate for electric co-op priorities in Washington, D.C., and help ensure the long-term success of local co-ops and rural communities. Watch this video to learn […]
Michigan Co-op Gets Help From Canada to Restore Power
This story was written by Erin Kelly, and was originally published by NRECA. When a brutal ice storm blew trees into electric lines and splintered power poles in northern Michigan in late March, Cloverland Electric Cooperative found itself cut off from mutual aid crews that would normally come from co-ops farther south to help restore power. The […]