Under the warm, often relentless sun of Playarrica, a municipality in southern Tolima, 15-year-old Luis works with a determination forged in adversity. His life is a journey of struggle and hope, marked by family tragedy and unwavering resolve to build a better future through his coffee brand, Juan Velázquez.

A Past of Pain and Responsibility

Luis was born in 2009 into a life of challenges and hardship. His community was plagued by violence, and tragedy struck when his father was brutally killed, leaving Luis and his family in extreme vulnerability. This loss not only devastated them emotionally but also placed the burden of supporting his family and managing the coffee farm squarely on Luis’s young shoulders.

A Present of Hard Work and Shared Dreams

Today, Luis faces each day with relentless determination. His day begins at 6:30 a.m. and stretches until 5:00 p.m., balancing farm work and school studies under the scorching sun. Coffee harvesting is grueling and dangerous, requiring constant effort and caution against hazards like sharp stones and thorns.

But in this daily struggle, Luis is not alone. His friend and partner, Juan Pablo, shares with him the vision of a better future. Luis and Juan Pablo met at school, in the same tenth grade they are currently in. Although both young men share the same goal of advancing in their studies and their entrepreneurship, their circumstances are very different. Luis has the advantage of having a motorcycle, which makes his daily commute to school easier. In contrast, Juan Pablo must walk for hours to get to the classrooms, a feat that further underlines his commitment and dedication.

Luis and Juan Pablo have founded Juan Velazquez, a coffee brand that represents not only an economic opportunity, but also a way to honor the legacy of Luis' family. The name of the brand is a meaningful combination. Juan Velázquez arises from the fusion of Juan Pablo's name and Luis's surname. This blend not only symbolizes the collaboration between two friends, but also reflects the union of their efforts and dreams in a common project.

The two have also formed the Tony Campo Association, uniting local youth and mothers to access modern machinery critical for coffee production. Their goal is to scale their operations and improve product quality, while Luis dreams of studying agronomy to enhance his technical knowledge.

In the process, they have learned to manage the challenges of packaging and labeling their coffee, areas that they must finance themselves. Although they have considered opening a small coffee shop in the town of San Antonio to promote their product and connect with the community, time is a significant obstacle. Luis divides his time between studying, working on the farm, and managing his business, and now has dreams of studying agronomy to gain more technical knowledge and improve his skills in farm management.

A Future of Opportunities and Growth

The future for Luis and Juan Pablo is full of promise. The machinery they hope to receive through the Tony Campo association and the support of the government represents a crucial opportunity to scale up their production and process coffee in an industrialized way. This will not only allow them to improve the quality of their coffee, but also increase their production capacity and market access.

Luis continues to face challenges with an optimistic and resilient attitude. Every coffee bean he harvests and every step he takes in the development of Juan Velázquez are testaments to his strength and determination. The farm, once a symbol of his loss, has become a vehicle to build a brighter future for him and his family.

Through his brand, Luis not only seeks to transform his life and that of his family, but also to contribute to the development of his community. With each cup of coffee he produces, Luis weaves a story of overcoming, effort and hope that inspires all those who know his story.

In the coffee fields, these young people continue to work with the vision of a future full of opportunities. Through Juan Velázquez, they strive to offer a quality product, improve their situation and, above all, honor the memory of Luis's father, transforming his pain into a force for change and growth.

Written by: Sonia Osorio C.