The Community Listening Program gathers, analyses and incorporates the knowledge of farmers and forest communities to improve the work of the organization. The project is driven by the simple fact that listening to those that are at the heart of a mission offers the best learning experience.
The objective of the programme is to boost effectiveness of the Rainforest Alliance by applying feedback in a systematic way. Mainly, the listening program asks for feedback in three main areas: working relationships, implementation of the programme and external challenges, such as political, economic, social and climate concerns that affect their lives and livelihoods.
The programme started in Ghana, Guatemala and Mexico and will be subsequently scaled up across the entire organization. One of the many voices is Juana Melendez from Guatemala, who highlights the importance of a woman led enterprise and indicates what is needed in such small local community.