Photo Essay: Nurturing Coffee, Family, and Future in Guatemala’s Mountains
Meet Hermelinda, a coffee grower who has created a full life in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, where three generations of her family now gather.
Meet Hermelinda Cruz Ruiz, a 59-year-old coffee grower, mother, and grandmother who has lived in the Los Coles village in western Guatemala for 40 years. Her home is nestled in the mountainous municipality of San Pedro Necta, Huehuetenango. With a warm and confident d
As you move around, you will hear the sound of her grandchildren laughing and playing and roosters crowing. She is surrounded by the greenery of her coffee trees, her flourishing vegetable garden, and the misty mountains of San Pedro Necta. “I am happy—I’ve already raised my children,” said Hermelinda, beaming at her son. “I’m very supported, very loved right now.” She has built a beautiful life here.
Life in Los Coles
Life in Los Coles unfolds against the backdrop of San Pedro Necta’s misty mountains. From Hermelinda’s rooftop, the mountains stretch for miles, their slopes dotted with coffee trees and crisscrossed by narrow paths where farmers like Hermelinda walk daily to tend to their crops. The landscape is more than scenic—it’s the foundation of her livelihood and legacy.
Hermelinda’s home is a gathering place for three generations. Her grandchildren play outside the garden she tends, a tangible reminder of the legacy she is building—for her family and her community.
A Legacy of Determination
“This is my coffee, and I take care of it,” Hermelinda declared, her expertise evident in the thriving coffee trees on her property. She has been harvesting quality coffee for decades, channeling her energy into coffee farming to support her three children and fund their education—opening doors she never had access to herself.
Hermelinda is a respected grower in the community and a member of Aprocafco, an association of coffee producers in San Pedro Necta. “We started with 10 [members], then suddenly, there were already 20,” Hermelinda recalled. “I sold my coffee there to achieve good prices.”
Cultivating More than Coffee
Hermelinda’s dedication to agriculture extends beyond coffee. Her property showcases a thriving vegetable garden and a small flock of chickens, reflecting her commitment to sustaining her family.
Through Aprocafco, Hermelinda joined the Empowered Families, Thriving Communities Project, part of Nespresso’s AAA Sustainable Quality Program, implemented by TechnoServe and funded by Nespresso. The project focuses on empowering women and enhancing their leadership in coffee production.
In the project’s workshops about family well-being and gender equality, one opportunity stood out to Hermelinda: the chance to start her own vegetable garden. “We plant the vegetables and it’s for our wellbeing, of our grandchildren, of the family,” said Hermelinda. “They gave us the seeds, and I started working [on the garden] with my son and my grandchildren.” The garden is now overflowing with radishes, beets, carrots, onions, cilantro, chili peppers, and more.
Seeds of Change
Hermelinda prioritized education as a cornerstone of her family’s future. “I didn’t want my children to be like me,” she shared. “I wanted my children to have a profession to move forward.” Her efforts paid off—two of her children have graduated with professional degrees, including one who became a nurse.
“That’s my pride that they move forward,” said Hermelinda. “Through them, I can survive too because the day will come when I won’t have my capabilities, but there are my children to make what I’ve already done worth it.”
