March marked an exciting time for Project Grow and Waynesburg University’s eHive, as Director of the eHive, Cassy Dorsch, led a team of students to Hato Mayor Del Rey in the Dominican Republic for the first time in 10 years. According to Dorsch, their main goal was to support a women’s group that Project Grow has been working with for many years, with the group being located about an hour away in a small village named Luma Largo. For that entire week, the women of the village spoke with students about the resources they had and the potential for business in that area. Dorsch knew that upon their return, the mission could not stop, and now she and other students on Waynesburg’s campus continue to support the program.

Upon their return to Waynesburg, the group brought back 70 bags of coffee that they purchased from a local coffee plant in Hato Mayor. The main mission is to sell the coffee on campus as a way to support the program and build awareness as to what work they are trying to do. Dorsch said, “Coffee is something people really connect with, they love,” as the students are not only selling the coffee on campus, but they are providing free tastings as well.

         Sophomore public relations student, Olivia Kiger, helped to support the mission from Waynesburg and is selling the coffee outside of the eHive. Now that the project has returned to Waynesburg, Kiger is not only in charge of selling the coffee, but she is also creating brochures, postcards and going over student notes. While the coffee does not come from Luma Largo and the women’s group, it will all be used in support of that area.

         The coffee sales can be found outside of the eHive on the first floor of the Stover Student Center. One pound of fresh coffee is currently being sold for $14, with all the proceeds going to support the general fund of Project Grow. The money will be used to support the startups of different businesses, schooling and the overall holistic development of Luma Largo.

According to Dorsch, Project Grow shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, and these sales only show a small percentage of all the work that is being done to support this community. Both Dorsch and Kiger explain that they have a great heart and passion for the work they are doing and plan to continue with it next year. “I love the work done, and I am very passionate about the trip,” Kiger said. All in all, the hope shared by both Dorsch and Kiger, as well as the rest of the team, is to one day be able to see the products and success of the women’s group make its way to Waynesburg.