Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, July 13, 2019

Eucalyptus, farmed in Kaʻū, is being harvested for Hū Honua, which is seeking a permit for an 800 foot deep  injection well for waste water for its processing plant to burn the wood to make electricity north of Hilo. See story below. Photo by Julia Neal

PROGRESS IN ESTABLISHING CHILD CARE FOR KAʻŪ COFFEE FARM WORKERS was reported today at a meeting of farmers and other supporters of the effort. With the increasing employment of members of Kaʻū's Marshallese community to pick Kaʻū Coffee, organizers in the coffee producing community, led by Laura Diaz, have established a nonprofit organization called
Keiki OʻPalehua ʻOhana Program.
     The group has also completed renovations of a room in the Pāhala Hongwanji Schoolhouse with educational supplies for up to 15 keiki. Diaz said she is encouraged by the non-profit Partners in Development organization that also provides the Tūtū & Me early education program in Kaʻū. The Kohala Center sent its Rural and Cooperative Business Development Specialist Teresa Young to today's meeting. Also showing support is the county Office of Economic Development, said Diaz.

Marshallese community member Alina Jerong picked coffee when she was running for Miss Kaʻū Coffee. Her community is now offered childcare while working in the fields. Photo by Julia Neal

     Kaʻū coffee farmer Lorie Obra, who supports the effort, said she has been relying on Marhallese coffee workers for years. John Ah San, President of the Palehua ʻOhana Farmers Cooperative, said that more Kaʻū Coffee farmers are relying on the Marshallese now that Latin American coffee pickers have become more nervous about flying to Hawaiʻi, worried that they could be caught up in some kind of immigration sting and arrested or deported, even though they believe their papers are in order.
     Ah San also explained that the challenge for Marshallese workers is that the labor department looks down on anyone bringing their children to the workplace and that the Marshallese like to come to work as one big family. He said the childcare center will help to create more coffee jobs for the Marshallese, who would drop off their children before work. Many of the Marshallese workers live in Kaʻū and can freely travel between the U.S. and the Marshall Islands.
     Diaz said that the Keiki O Palehua ʻOhana Program is looking for an electrician to hang two ceiling fans at the childcare center, for some kind of food service for the keiki, and other donations. A grand opening is planned for Aug. 10.
     The next meeting about the project is on Sunday, July 28 at 3 p.m. at the Kaʻū District Gym Activity Room. Call Diaz at 928-8188 or 408-306-5596.