963 COFFEE
Americans consume more coffee than any other nation. On average, 108 million people in the U.S. drink coffee every day, consuming 2.3 billion pounds a year. Behind oil, coffee is the second largest traded commodity in the world. However, the trade system does not work in favor of developing countries; unlike the oil industry, coffee producers live in extreme poverty, bringing in an average of only $500 per year. For every American coffee drinker, there is one worker elsewhere in the world who depends on coffee for their day-to-day survival.
Because the rules that govern trade favor rich countries, the potential to reduce poverty and support economic growth for poorer countries is being lost. As a result, most of these developing countries are dependent on outside aid for their survival. If Africa alone could increase its share of world exports by just 1%, it would generate $70 billion – about 5 times what it already receives in aid.
Families do not have enough money to send their children to school, nor can they afford basic medical care and have access to clean water. They are trapped in a cycle of poverty, unable to escape on their own.
What 963 is doing and What you can do
The Project’s purpose is twofold: to provide a fair wage for coffee farmers in poverty-stricken communities and to allow groups and individuals to use the coffee to raise funds for mission projects and relief initiatives. Below are tangible ways to do this:
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