Learn how an all-women’s association in Costa Rica brought their community out of poverty by growing a successful coffee business. Inspirational!

“Give a man a fish you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” (Chinese Proverb)

Missionary Lillian Solt has worked alongside poor communities throughout Costa Rica for over 50 years helping them move toward self-sufficiency using seed money, international grants and mission teams from the USA. 

In this program our course leader is joining us live from Costa Rica via Zoom while questions are facilitated from the classroom. Lillian will talk about her 30 years of partnering with ASOMOBI, The Association of Organized Women of Biolley, an all-women’s group that grows, roasts and processes premium coffee in southern Costa Rica. With her help, the efforts of this multi-generational association of 36 women brought their community out of poverty, broke into the male-dominated coffee industry, and eventually expanded their business to include tourism services.

What to Expect:  

You will learn the importance of partnering with communities to help them develop economic self-sufficiency rather than simply giving charity and money.  Illustrating the importance of small business in Costa Rica, the women of ASOMOBI (The Association of Organized Women of Biolley) have been able to create a successful small coffee business that supports their community. 

Lillisn Solt 2 Formatted

Lillian Solt

Lillian Solt, BSN, SCM, has worked for mission organizations for over 50 years. She is a registered nurse, a midwife, and has a certificate in tropical diseases. She founded CEDCAS, Center for Health Education and Health Services, in 1985 to focus on preventive care for poor and rural residents of Costa Rica. In addition to basic preventive care, CEDCAS has grown to include a facility that has a family practice, as well as a dental clinic, and an optometry clinic. Programs are offered to children and the elderly of a nearby shanty town.

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