The Kallari Association markets unique Amazon handcrafts, organic cocoa beans, and free trade chocolate in over ten countries, spanning four continents. This coalition of over 1500 artisans (representing 760 families) set out to establish economic alternatives to rain forest destruction/logging practices in the communities of the Napo Province, located within the Ecuadorian Amazon. The goal is to increase family incomes without sacrificing natural resources. In addition, the cooperative has proven to be an excellent mechanism for inspiring Kichwa youth to learn and practice traditional harvesting, weaving and carving techniques and the international markets for organic cocoa have motivated the Kichwa people to control their own markets and improve the quality of their products.

The Kallari Association currently sells over $100,000 per year of organically produced agricultural products, such as cacoa, and original crafts (jewelry, accessories and home decorating accents). It needs to access additional markets, undertake innovative business research and develop attractive promotional strategies for use in North America and Europe.

 

·         This internship offers interns a great deal of freedom as well as responsibility. Therefore, interns need to be very self-motivated and innovative. The Kallari Association Development coordinator and elected Association Leaders will give interns general guidance about their work plans and products, but will not provide oversight on a daily basis. Serious candidates should read the book Good to Great prior to arrival. Interns are required to present their work to the Kallari Association prior to the end of their internship.

·         Product development improvement of production of high quality, organic, fair trade chocolate (March - July is the cocoa production season) ; development of handcrafts and fiber apparel; development of ecotourism programs

·         Business development (helping Kichwa communities understand international markets, assist with the development of their business activities, research potential distribution links, process organic certification); Development of marketing materials (packaging, web design, brochures, business cards, writing magazine articles, etc.); Research potential markets in North America and Europe

·         Community development (work with communities to find economic alternatives to rain forest destruction and to preserve their cultural traditions)

·         Projects that recent interns have engaged in: develop a business plan for Kallari to grow their chocolate and cacao incomes [By channelling more of their cacao harvest into processed chocolate, the rural organization has an opportunity for fourfold income over simply selling their raw material on the commodity markets]; community extension work visits; tree nursery work; plant transport; chocolate production, transportation and sales; loan application for the organization; work with leaders to approximate their harvest and do production flow plans to accomodate their cash flow needs; etc.