Social Entrepreneurship with Indigenous Cacao Farmer Associations
internship Overview
The Amazon rainforest is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world and has over 40,000 plant species! There are thousands of plants and trees that produce edible fruits and can be used for medicine, lumber, and artisan goods. Most Amazonian products have not been commercialized. However, cacao and guayusa leaf tea are two up-and-coming, major exports that are cultivated by local farmers in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
Interns work with an association of indigenous farmers who implement social enterprise models to preserve their traditional forms of agriculture, protect the environment through sustainable agriculture, and enter viable markets to sell their finished products. Most associations are organic and Fair Trade certified and continue to look for innovative solutions and external financial support for their projects. This is a unique opportunity for motivated, enthusiastic interns to learn about the intersections of ancestral knowledge, environmental sustainability, and social entrepreneurship and how they relate to cultural identity and income-generation projects. Internship benefits:
Work with an association of indigenous cacao farmers who produce chocolate for national and international distribution
Live with one of the farmers or a local farmer who produces cacao in a rural community and support them with planting and harvesting, depending on the season
Learn about social impact marketing, sustainability, Fair Trade and organic certifications, agroforestry, and the production of chocolate from cacao plant to final product
Contribute to market research about new local products and how to introduce them into bigger markets [e.g. guayusa leaf tea and vanilla]
Research & dissertation support available with partner organizations and universities, if requested
***NOTE: Specific projects change throughout the year depending on the needs of our partner organizations. The projects interns work on during their internship are based on the organization’s’ immediate needs and workflow.***
Daily Life
Internships begin with an orientation in the city of Tena. After, interns spend the first few weeks getting to know their host family and internship placements. Depending on the needs of the placement, potential internship activities include:
Assist with day-to-day operations including inventory, factory work, and receiving buyers and sellers
Assist in the factory by moving fermenting cocoa beans, turning drying cocoa beans, grinding cocoa beans, and helping with quality control
Shadow and assist field technicians when they review farms for organic and Fair Trade re-certifications
Manage the association’s social media pages and website, take photos, and collect testimonials from local farmers
Research national and international markets for product distribution, including researching third parties who can support with production and exportation
Support the association’s engagement with communities by attending events and providing chocolate and guayusa samples
Translate documents explaining Fair Trade and organic certification requirements from English to Spanish
Contributing to field work in farmers’ chakras (traditional agroforestry farms) by planting, weeding, and harvesting
Guide visitors during tours by translating and explaining the association's business model, its products, and methods of production
Organize English lessons with co-workers who are eager to advance their language skills and receive Spanish and Kichwa lessons from them as well
An average day for a social entrepreneurship intern looks like:
***NOTE: Schedules can differ based on the intern’s placement and projects interns collaborate on. The following sample schedule is based off of past interns’ experiences.***
Wake up and have breakfast with host family (***If you are with a very traditional indigenous family, you can wake up with them at 4 or 5am and share in the ritual of drinking guayusa tea as a family***)
Head to the association’s office around 7:30/8am
Office work supporting on-going projects, assist with tourism groups, independent research
Lunch with host family (***OR: When interns are in the field they can buy lunch or bring a packed lunch***)
Continue research, finish up daily tasks, field work in the factory with cocoa and tea production, workshops with communities
Return home around 5/6 pm for dinner with the family (***We encourage interns to spend as many evenings and weekends as possible with their host families to make the most of their immersions, learn about the culture, and practice their Spanish***)
Other activities to get involved in after work and on the weekends: sports, clubs, teaching English, meeting up with other interns, going on weekend trips to nearby tourist destinations, swimming in rivers, rafting, hikes to waterfalls and swimming holes, chocolate-making