SAFAI FOUNDATION

In 2013, while visiting coffee farms in Marcala, Honduras, our founder and Master Roaster Mike Safai witnessed devastation caused by the “coffee rust” fungus (also known as “roya” or Hemileia vastatrix) first hand.

Throughout coffee growing regions in Central and South America, the “rust” fungus ravages the leaves of coffee plants. Eventually, infected coffee plants die, forcing farmers to abandon farms that have been in their family for generations. Many times, the closure of their farms mean the families leave in favor of factory work in larger cities. With coffee farms oftentimes being core economic drivers in these areas, entire families and communities can be decimated when the fungus reaches their region.

To remedy a coffee farm, infected plants need to be removed so new disease resistant seedlings can grow. This is an expensive process, as farmers face lost income during farm closure and seedlings often take 3+ years to mature.

After witnessing first hand the beginnings of crop failures, and what was at the time thought to be a lost cause, Mike and Medora Safai were inspired to discover a solution to farms closing. In 2013 they established the ‘Safai Arabica Farm Assistance Initiative’ (SAFAI) Foundation. The mission of the SAFAI Foundation is to spearhead farm conservation efforts, giving farmers the ability to stay on their own land to support their families.

Today, the SAFAI Foundation has supported replanting efforts for 30 family farms and inspired local governments and other coffee roasting companies to develop their own programs. In addition, the SAFAI Foundation has extended its contributions beyond the coffee rust challenge. The foundation also donates to rural educational facilities’ improvements, medical supplies and equipment and facilitates economic growth opportunities.

Currently, the foundation is gathering a shipping container’s worth of personal hygiene, medical supplies and blankets to assist with recovery efforts for the December 2020 back-to-back hurricanes, which directly hit Honduras.

Click below for more information about the SAFAI Foundation, learn how you can help, and see current projects and updates.