Sisters from Nariño

At the heart of Samaniego’s coffee community are women like Elcy, Elvira, Honoria, Marina, Geny and the sisters Omaira and Esperanza —skilled farmers, working on their small farms in the mountains of Nariño.

The daughter of one of the producers, brings their small but high-quality crops to Switzerland and thanks to this direct trading, the growers are paid fairly for their hard work and can thus secure their livelihood.
At DONA, we are proud to recognise these women for their expertise and dedication, paying fairly for their work and helping them grow as confident, independent entrepreneurs. Every cup reflects their collective strength, resilience and determination, while contributing to greater opportunities for themselves, their families and their community.

Samaniego is located in the high-altitude mountains of Colombia’s Nariño Department, is an exceptional specialty coffee region thriving between 1,600 and 2,000 meters above sea level. This extreme elevation creates cool nighttime temperatures that slow down cherry maturation, allowing the Caturra, Castillo, and Colombia beans to develop complex sugars and dense profiles. Local smallholder families meticulously hand-pick the ripe cherries primarily between May and August. The coffee then undergoes a traditional wet processing method followed by sun-drying. This careful micro-lot production ultimately yields a highly valued cup celebrated for its bright acidity, clean body, fruit notes, and distinct sweetness.