There are so many global issues around the world that we’re unfamiliar with. And who knew that something simple as a buying a bag of specialty coffee could potentially be supporting the healing of girls who have survived sex trafficking in Brazil’s, Sao Paulo?

From disadvantaged backgrounds and with little or no education whatsoever, these young women have been approached vulnerably and have ended up in a sex trade network spanning abroad. The country has an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 children involved in sex trafficking, yet being the largest city in the America’s it seems to be a hidden issue.

SEE ALSO: Drop Coffee – Epiphanie Muhirwa

Solid City Coffee are a social enterprise branch of a non-profit organisation called Solidarity. It is a faith-based organisation that works predominantly in low-income US Latino neighbourhoods including the Garnet neighbourhood and the Maple neighbourhood in Fullerton, California. Solidarity has two main focuses.  Firstly, working with children living on the streets and secondly working with girls who have survived sex trafficking. Their goal is to open up the first ever after care home called Casa Liberdade for girls who can live in a safe, secure environment and have access to professional help to heal them of their trauma.

Using coffee to empower individuals and impact communities.

How Does Their Coffee Business Work?

Solid City Coffee has an arrangement with a local roaster who directly trades with seven farms from different regions across the globe, purchasing the highest quality green coffee with each lot possessing a cupping score of 89 or higher. Once an order is placed, the selected coffee is fresh roasted and then packaged ready for retail according to Solid City Coffee’s brand. Solid City Coffee’s customer base ranges from everyday consumers to wholesale customers such as local churches.

Specialty microlot coffee from across the globe.

How Does the Business Make a Difference?

Sao Paolo, Brazil

All the revenue raised goes directly to supporting sex trafficked survivors and fundraising for the Casa Liberdade after case home, which will provide girls with a safe, secure environment and access to professional help to heal them of their trauma. Their goal is to open the doors to Casa Liberdade by the end of 2015.

Fullerton, California

As the business grows, SCC plans to provide job training in social media, marketing, event management and training related to the specialty coffee industry, such as pour over training. Along with this, SCC hope to provide job opportunities to at-risk youths, in terms of customer-facing communication roles. These goals primarily focus on helping the urban youth in Fullerton to learn some tangible skills that will help empower them out of the cycles of poverty that they live in and into successful futures during their lifetime.

Serving coffee at a local fundraiser. With coffee, everyone wins.

Solid City Coffee believes that “freeing women trapped in sex trafficking, creating jobs, and empowering youth are all the designed bi-products that come from a successful coffee business.” Who thought that thinking about your morning coffee could actually impact a significant change in humanity and help young women not be victim of sexual slavery?

To find out more about their project please visit www.solidcitycoffee.org

Article edited by H. Wilson.

Perfect Daily Grind.