Welcome to Conviventia’s
Social Enterprise Initiative
in partnership with Vocatio
WE’RE INTRODUCING OUR FIRST PRODUCT:
CSE x VOCATIO COFFEE
THIS ISN’T JUST ANY COLOMBIAN COFFEE…
…THIS IS A COFFEE FOR KINGDOM GROWERS.
-
100% Colombian arabica coffee beans
-
Carefully hand-picked by Colombian families
-
Grown & toasted in the hills of Viotá, Colombia
Despite coffee's benefits to Colombia's global identity, culture, & economy, there is an unknown side to its history, one framed by resilience in the face of violence, & of which Viotá- a region located only two hours out of Bogota- is the epicenter.
Viotá is no ordinary place...
Viotá is no ordinary place...
Viotá’s first historically defining moment was the creation of the Communist Colombian Party, turning this area into a laboratory for land re-distribution & other measures that resulted in it becoming one of Colombia's most violence-stricken communities.
Since the late 1990’s Viotá became known as the FARC headquarters (i.e. the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, one of its largest guerilla groups), as well as the territory of the Villager Self-Defense forces of Casanare, leaving behind more than 113 missing people and dozens of mass graves.
Viotá's geographical conditions are ideal; nestled at the foot of the eastern Andes, where you can admire great mountains and hear the three rivers crossing around you: the Pilama River, Viotá River & Calandaima River.
All of these characteristics make Viotá the perfect place for growing coffee.
However, they also made it a strategic location for groups on the margin of the law to establish & run Marxist formation schools due to its accessibility throughout Colombia's Cundinamarca department.
The family behind CSE x Vocatio Coffee
There are thousands of testimonies of families who describe the violence inflicted by these rebel groups, where they not only recount seeing many loved ones murdered at the hands of guerrilla groups but also standing there with total impotence while their very children were kidnapped by the commanders of said groups.
This is the case of Nestor, a Viotá native, and a descendant of a coffee-growing family going back many generations, who, due to the violence of the area, was forced to leave his homeland alongside Jennifer, his wife, & flee to Bogotá (the capital city) in search of opportunity & safety.
a vulnerable community on the outskirts of Bogotá.
Although, for several years, they tried to succeed through multiple different entrepreneurial efforts & jobs, their income was never sufficient to cover the living costs of a growing family, who, with their first baby on the way, & some increasing credit debt, felt on the verge of collapse. It's during this challenging time that Nestor & Jennifer discovered Conviventia’s "Income Generation" projects.
Conviventia is a Christian nonprofit working to eradicate poverty in Colombia, with 30+ years of experience empowering people out of poverty through a biblically-based, multi-program strategy, including providing certified vocational, entrepreneurial & soft-skills training equipped with the accompaniment of the Gospel.
They settled in Soacha,
Conviventia welcomed Nestor's family with open arms & empowered them with the advice, training, & resources needed to bring their dream to life: creating “VOCATIO,” their own coffee brand.
As of 2019, the region of Viotá became safe to inhabit again, so Nestor & his family decided to establish their coffee farm back home.
“VOCATIO” stands for vocation, which refers to that inner force that inspires you, that commitment to contributing to your country's development, to a better Colombia; a vocation that results in a product of the highest quality, a product that reflects the tireless work of our coffee-growing families, who sew, care for, and carefully pick every ripe cherry, & turn them into the most delicious Colombian coffee.
We feel honored to introduce our USA friends to CSE’s artisanal coffee line: harvested, produced, & toasted by Vocatio coffee growers in Viotá, Colombia.
With its caramelized & tropical notes, this coffee provides a perfect blend of aromas & flavors, bringing extasis to the senses, thanks to the best selection process & the skill & experience of the artisan roasters.
Launching soon
Launching soon
50% of every purchase goes back to the Vocatio coffee growers in Colombia.
Back to Viotá's legal economy.
Back to Nestor & Jennifer's family- a resilient, humble, God- fearing family that, with great love & great effort, created an excellent product for your daily enjoyment, & for a better Colombia.