Why Poverty Is a Relational Issue—And What That Means for Sustainable Change in Coffee

Have you ever wondered what value your cup of coffee has apart from the energy, taste and socializing you receive upon purchase? I think about its value a lot. I think of it when I open a bag of green coffee on the roasting floor. I think about it when it is being roasted, packaged and shipped. I think about the value of those who will prepare the coffee in their own kitchens or in those café owners and baristas who pour their lives into preparing and serving it. In fact, there is not a moment in my life as a roastery owner that I do not think about the value present in each stage of the processing. Realizing and understanding this value is an important part of recognizing the value of the people who produce our cup of joe and how they pour their lives into each cup consumed. All too often, we do not look at this facet as an important part of sustainability in the coffee world. We often forget the abject poverty faced by those who farm, process and ship the green coffee that makes our roasted and brewed coffee possible.

Far too frequently, when we think about poverty, our minds often go straight to material lack—empty wallets, unstable housing, insufficient access to education or nutrition. Of course, these are very real issues. To stop there is to miss the root system beneath the surface. Poverty at its root describes the condition of being dispossessed of resources: trust, dignity, support and belonging.

As such, poverty is deeply relational. When these four tenants of wealth are lacking, the invisible scaffolding that makes it possible to thrive and sustain progress is not existent. Without addressing the relational dimensions of poverty, even the best financial interventions fall short of lasting transformation, because the impoverished begin to see themselves in a false light. They begin to believe the lie that they are unworthy of being trusted, unworthy as a human being and thus, unworthy of the support of others and belonging to a group who will honor them. In essence, it goes against their very creation and smothers the creativity needed for wealth by all metrics to be gained.

So, what happens when we take a relational lens to poverty—and how can that insight lead to more sustainable change? Can how we interact with people and the value they bring help to restore what they have lost?

💔 The Hidden Face of Poverty: Relational Breakdown

We live in a world where people can be surrounded by wealth and yet feel abandoned. That’s because poverty is not just the absence of resources—it’s the absence of meaningful, empowering relationships. When war is present, which we often see in the coffee lands, a vacuum is created in relationships. Relationships allow for stability for individuals to focus, without fear of being abandoned to face life alone. Healthy relationships allow for people to express their God-given creativity without distraction and with recognition of their contribution.

Let’s break this down:

·      In families, poverty often stems from trauma, abandonment, or cycles of abuse and dysfunction.

·      In communities, it shows up as isolation, mistrust, and a breakdown of shared responsibility.

·      In institutions, we see it in systems that treat the poor as numbers, not people.

·      In the economy, it emerges through exploitative relationships, wage inequity, and dependency traps.

·      In the self, poverty can mean internalized shame, helplessness, and the inability to imagine a different future.

All of these dynamics contribute to what researchers call “relational poverty”—the disconnection that makes material poverty even more entrenched. This lack of relationship tears at the structure of identity and impedes one’s ability to see their value in the world.

🌱 What Sustainable Change Really Requires

When we reframe poverty as a relational issue, it becomes clear that real, long-term change is not just about charity or aid—it’s about rebuilding trust, restoring dignity, and reimagining relationships.

1. Restore Trust, Not Just Transactions

Many systems that serve the poor—whether government programs or nonprofit aid—operate on impersonal transactions. To be sustainable, these systems must become relational spaces where people are heard, valued, and co-creators of their future.

Sustainable aid isn’t “to” the poor; it’s “with” them.

2. Prioritize Mutuality in Economic Design

Creating economic justice isn’t just about access to work—it’s about access to respectful, empowering work. We need more business models that: - Pay fairly - Invest in people’s potential - Embrace mentorship, ownership, and long-term vision.

Especially for women and those historically exploited, economic empowerment must be relationally restorative, not just financially transactional.

3. Rebuild Community from the Ground Up

Many people trapped in poverty have been cut off from community support. The solution? Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD)—an approach that starts with what people already have, not what they lack.

When communities reconnect through shared purpose, trust, and collaboration, they become engines of change.

🌍 A Relational Model in Action: Coffee with a Cause

Imagine a struggling rural coffee community. Rather than simply donating aid, a relationally sustainable model might:

·      Gather stories of the farmers and listen to their needs

·      Establish equitable cooperatives that give workers voice and profit-share

·      Create women-led groups to break cycles of economic and emotional abuse

·      Connect farmers to conscious buyers who care about their stories—not just their beans

In this model, relationships drive the economy—and dignity drives sustainability.

💡 From Brokenness to Wholeness

The opposite of poverty is not wealth.

It’s wholeness. It is the ability to encourage another to stand up straight, holding their heads high, empowering them to their voices and giftings and valuing their contributions along the way.

That wholeness begins when we see people not as problems to fix, but as partners to walk with. When we embed restoration into relationships—at every level from family to finance—we create the foundation for long-term, meaningful, and sustainable change.

So whether you’re a nonprofit leader, business owner, policymaker, or simply someone who cares—start with this truth:

Poverty is brokenness.Healing is relational.And sustainability begins with restored connection.

Honoring the lives of all who grow, process and prepare coffee throughout the supply is what we value here at El Camino. Coffee is an asset in which many across the supply chain can best express to the world their skillset. It is a mechanism of honor, as producers are wisely utilizing the resources they have to produce a valuable living for their families and are contributing to local and global economies. The coffee you buy today represents someone’s precious contribution of their breath, life and time. These are resources that need to be honored and valued. Inviting someone to the economic table to bring their ideas, skills and person forward can be a step in which they can learn to stand in the truth of their value once more.