Shoot4Coffee is a multi-disciplinary project organized by Shoot4Change in Chiapas, aimed at improving the living conditions in the coffee farming.

 

S4C cooperated with CESMACH to create a multimedia documentation of the current conditions of the Mexican coffee industry to show the real economic and social cost of a cup of coffee.

Volunteers from Shoot4Change did not just document the living conditions in the plantations. They worked on the territory to provide health services to Chiapas’ residents through the creation of a Medical Brigade based on volunteering.

 

Doctor Almeida Alejandra Velasco says: “Our aim is not only to safeguard people’s health: we want to show the locals that there is someone in the world that does care about their lives and their difficulties. We are here to help them to develop instruments and resources that will give them the opportunity to access services such as health and education. As well as bringing medicines to locals, we are also trying to convince them that they are not alone and we can do many things to help them. When we have a cup of coffee we need to reflect on what is hidden behind. Our aim is to give these people the opportunity to live and achieve happiness”.

 

The Medical Brigade has been operating, completely for free, in 14 of the 32 communities where CESMACH works, for a period of 15 days. Examining 557 patients and distributing medicines for an overall value of about 2,500 Euro.