Country: Guatemala

Organization: Cooperativa Samac

Website:

Project Description:
Samac is an agricultural cooperative in rural Guatemala. The cooperative primarily grows coffee and cardamom, along with sugar, corn, and beans. The village of Samac was once a German plantation and the village still retains German ruins in the form of an ancient coffee-processing factory, a casa patronal, and a small church built in 1883. In addition to historical sites, Samac has 6 caves and 345 hectares of forest, including 12 caballeros of old-growth oak forest. The people of Samac are indigenous Q'ekchi' and a visitor can experience life in a modern yet traditional Mayan community. Tourists can stay with a local family, enjoy traditional Mayan food, and purchase hand-made crafts from the local women.

Pedro2010's Story:
I am a current Peace Corps volunteer working in the ecotourism program in Samac (and Sanimtacá). The people of Samac are organized and motivated to assert themselves on the national level in the ecotourism scene. They need guidance and they need some resources, but the town is full of potential