From my time as a volonteer
At the end of 2018 I had the chance as part of my volunteer time in the project “Journey to Freedom” to work directly with the coffee seedlings. The main job is to water the plants regularly. Sounds easy, but in the mountains of Thailand and a barely available water supply, it is associated with a lot of sweat and exertion when hauling the watering cans. The sensitive plants grow protected under a sun protection tarp and are only watered in the evening. In the morning, the water would evaporate too quickly due to the temperatures.
When the coffee seedlings are large enough to transplant, the Save Elephant Foundation distributes them free of charge to the local population, but only if the local farmers subscribe to the Save Elephant Foundation’s values and guidelines.
This foundation – founded by Lek Chailert – is committed to sustainability and tries to prevent the large-scale, negligent logging of the jungle – you can hardly imagine it – for STRAWBERRIES and to preserve the elephants’ natural habitat.
A good way to support the pachyderms is the “ENP” coffee from the Elephant Nature Park or the projects of the Save Elephant Foundation.
The coffee is grown in northern Thailand in the shade of the large jungle trees and harvested by hand. In this way the last natural habitats for the elephants are preserved and at the same time they are able to live in the greatest possible freedom away from the cruel elephant tourism.
Another extremely positive effect: The coffee beans are grown by local farmers of the traditional northern peoples of Thailand (such as the Karen Hill Tribe) at an altitude of over 1000m and offer the people there the opportunity to get fair paid work.
The coffee is available here in the EU in three different roasts: https://www.ant-elephant.de/shop/
