When Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman travelled to Ethiopia as an ambassador for World Vision Australia, he went back home having formed a tight bond with a young coffee farmer, working to lift his family out of poverty.
The story is captured in a documentary movie, Dukale’s Dream, which chronicles the start and growth of Hugh Jackman’s Laughing Man Foundation.
Meeting Dukale, Hugh Jackman realised that something as simple as a cup of coffee could have a profound impact on global poverty. He was inspired to start Laughing Man Coffee and the Laughing Man Foundation to support Dukale and similar farmers around the coffee growing world.
The Laughing Man Foundation supports coffee farming communities by investing in programs that clear the way to health, growth, and success for coffee farmers and their families.
Speaking about the learning from making the movie, The Laughing Man Foundation said: “What we learned from Dukale was first, that amazing coffees are being grown by small farmers like Dukale and they needed to be shared. Second, coffee farming is a family affair. Everyone is part of the process and family is not just those in your home but the community around you that helps and benefits from your success.
“This appreciation for community and family is very much a part of how we operate our cafes and we wanted the foundation to be an extension of that. So we look to programs that are not so much about making more sustainable coffee, although we do, but focus on sustainable individuals, family, and community.”
The Laughing Man Foundation is currently partnering with Fair Trade USA to invest in housing improvements and college scholarships for the COOCENTRAL Coop in Huila, Colombia.
Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine’s Chief @rosamedea
Life & Soul Magazine 