At Kauai Coffee® Pacific Horizon™, we believe in the power of education and community development to create lasting change. Our commitment to giving back has led us to the vibrant coffee-growing region of Marcala, Honduras, where we’ve partnered with local communities to transform a small school into a beacon of opportunity and hope.

Nestled in the mountainous region of La Paz, Marcala is renowned for producing some of the finest coffee in Honduras. With a population of about 25,000 people, coffee cultivation is among the lifebloods of this region. Marcala’s coffee legacy dates back to the late 1800s, making it a place rich in tradition and pride. Just 7 kilometers from our coffee mill, the small school in the village of Guascupuzca stood as a symbol of potential waiting to be realized.

The school, founded in 1992 by then-Minister of Education Jaime Martinez Guzman, began as a modest one-room building serving  students from grades 1 to 6, with a single teacher managing all classes. The preschool was housed in a separate, inadequate adobe structure with a dirt floor, taught by a 13-year-old volunteer. The lack of resources, overcrowding, and poor facilities posed significant challenges to the children’s education.

In 2013, a transformative journey began with the generous support of Fondazione Zanetti Onlus. By 2014, the school had been rebuilt with:

• A 100% concrete structure featuring two spacious classrooms with ceramic floors and glass windows.
• Three new concrete bathrooms with ceramic toilets and a running water system.
• A secure water tank to support daily needs.

The community’s Board of Directors contributed labor, while Bon Café, a strategic, on-the-ground partner, managed the execution and supervision of the construction. With these improvements, students were separated into two groups (grades 1–3 and grades 4–6), and a second government-paid teacher was added to reduce the student-to-teacher ratio.

In the following years, the school’s facilities continued to grow. By 2022, in collaboration with MZB-USA, a new classroom for middle school students (grades 7–9) was constructed and equipped with desks, boards, and teacher’s furniture. This addition allowed students to continue their education within the community, a milestone for families who previously had no access to secondary schooling.

A new preschool building, complete with bathrooms, a kitchen, and a dining room, was also added, and the government assigned a permanent preschool teacher. The school’s food program, supported by the World Food Organization (WFO), parents, and the government, ensures that every child receives at least one meal during the school day.

Since its renovation, the school has become a cornerstone of growth and development:

• Enrollment has surged from 60 students to over 800, with 125 middle school students now attending.
• The local population has grown from 70 families to 105, with neighboring communities also benefiting from the school’s resources.
• The school’s drop-out and no-show rates have fallen to 0%, ensuring that all students complete their school year.

This initiative has provided immense economic relief to families, especially those with multiple children, and has motivated parents to prioritize their children’s education.