We are extremely sad to report that Sr. Raúl Del Águila, the general manager of the COCLA cooperative in Quillabamba, Peru, has passed away on February 13, 2013, while working in Germany. He was a true visionary and a great man.
Raúl was the co-founder and the president of Pachamama Coffee Cooperative in the USA. It was his dream to connect the producers and consumers of specialty coffee through an efficient cooperative supply chain. Without Raúl the Pachamama cooperative would not have been as successful as it is today, we will continue on his legacy to push for a better future for coffee farmers around the world.
Here is the official announcement from COCLA: La Central de Cooperativas Agrarias Cafetaleras Cocla Ltda N° 281 manifiesta su tristeza y profundo pesar en comunicar al Gremio Cafetalero Peruano, que como consecuencia de una paro cardíaco el día de ayer 13 de febrero del 2013 en Alemania falleció el Gerente General de nuestra institución ING. RAÚL DAMASO DEL ÁGUILA HIDALGO
“Sin duda, nuestra empresa ha sufrido una sensible pérdida, una gran persona que ha realizado grandes cambios no sólo en nuestra institución sino a nivel de todo el gremio, luchando día a día por fortalecimiento Cooperativo, lo consideramos un genio y creativo, el mundo ha perdido a un talentoso ser humano. Raúl Del Águila deja una institución que sólo él podría haber desarrollado y su espíritu estará siempre en los cimientos de Cocla”
“Aunque nuestro padre, amigo y maestro ya no esté entre nosotros, seguirá siempre a nuestro lado, inspirando nuestro trabajo en la Central Cocla dirigido siempre al avance cooperativo” También estamos unidos a la tristeza de su esposa la Sra. Joicy Violeta Bartra Gardini e Hijos Alina Angélica Del Águila Bartra y Juan Reynaldo Del Águila Bartra.
English Translation—The Central de Cooperativas Agrarias Cafetaleras Cocla Ltda N° 281 announces with deep sadness and regret, the passing of the general manager of our institution on February 13, 2013, in Germany as result of cardiac arrest.
Raúl Damaso Del Águila Hidalgo stated:
“Without question, our organization has suffered a great loss of a leader who not only improved our cooperative – but improved the lives of small-scale farmers around the world. Fighting tirelessly to strengthen the cooperative, we consider Raúl Del Águila a creative genius; the world has lost a great man. Raúl Del Águila leaves an organization that only he could have built and his spirit will always be the foundation of Cocla.”
“Although our father, friend and teacher is no longer among us, he will always be with us, inspiring our work in La Central Cocla and in the advancement of the cooperative vision.” We also express our condolences to his wife, Mrs. Violeta Bartra Joicy Gardini and their children Alina Angelica Del Águila Bartra and Juan Reynaldo Del Águila Bartra.
