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During the week, the coffee price of December position in New York rose to a high of 335.50, the highest price since July 6. On Friday, however, it fell 6.65 cents and closed at 322.65. Friday, August 21, was First Notice Day for September, which has a premium of more than 36 cents over December; the coffee shortage in the short market continues.

Evelyn holds a Bachelor’s degree in Population Studies and brings valuable field experience working closely with cocoa farmers in Bundibugyo, Uganda. Over the past one and a half years, she has been directly engaged in supporting farmers through activities such as plot mapping, conducting surveys, and engaging with local stakeholders including village chairpersons. This hands-on experience has given her a strong understanding of cocoa farming systems and the everyday realities farmers face.

She joins Progreso because of its strong commitment to supporting farmers through access to finance, technical assistance, and market linkages, helping them become more self-sustaining in the long run. She is particularly excited about contributing to the expansion of Beyco, working with cooperatives, and strengthening technical support and collaboration with farmers.

“I am passionate about farming and motivated by the opportunity to support farmers in overcoming the challenges they face,” she tells us.

Outside of work, Evelyn, known as “Atwooki” to friends and family, enjoys connecting with new people, celebrating others’ achievements, and sharing simple pleasures like outings, pizza, and a milkshake.

We are delighted to have her on the team and look forward to the energy and dedication she brings to Progreso.

Melissa Patiño Pérez doesn’t separate the environmental from the human. In over a decade working in rural development, climate adaptation, and value chain strengthening, she’s learned that the two are inseparable and that’s the lens she brings to her new role as Progreso’s Country Manager for Colombia.

An environmental engineer with a Master’s in Environment and Development, Melissa has spent her career on the ground, alongside communities, cooperatives, and institutions navigating the real tensions between agricultural production and ecosystem health. Her work has spanned climate change adaptation, regenerative agriculture, food security, and value chain development, always oriented toward the same question: how do we make sustainability generate genuine opportunity for the people and territories involved?

In her new role, she’s particularly drawn to the potential she sees in Colombia’s coffee and cacao sectors, not just as economic engines, but as spaces where the right kind of support can meaningfully shift conditions for rural families. She comes to Progreso as eager to learn from the cooperatives and communities she’ll work with as to contribute her own experience.

Outside of work, Melissa leads a book club, something that tells you as much about her as her CV does. She sees reading as a way of inhabiting other worlds and perspectives, and considers it one of the things that keeps her genuinely empathetic in work that asks you to understand many different realities at once.

We’re glad she’s here.

Miurel Fargas brings something special to the Beyco team: years of hands-on experience in Nicaragua’s northern coffee zone, working directly with farmers in the field and supporting the commercial cooperatives that bring their coffee to market.

Her background spans the full arc of the coffee value chain, from farm-level technical assistance, visiting producers plot by plot, to accompanying and strengthening marketing organizations. That grounded, relational approach is exactly what the Beyco Implementation Officer role calls for.

For Miurel, joining Progreso is a chance to deepen her connection with producer organizations while introducing a new kind of tool: the Beyco Farmer app, a digital solution built to support smallholder farmers and the cooperatives that serve them.

We’re glad to have her on the team.

Progreso is looking for a Beyco Implementation Officer in Uganda.

For the full ToR, please see here

Across these three countries, we currently partner with 45 producer organizations. Together, we work to improve their access to finance, strengthen their operations, and support their transition toward more sustainable production. This is done through a combination of technical assistance, tailored financing via the Progreso Fund, and digital tools for data management and traceability through Beyco.

Progreso Foundation is looking for a YEP- Beyco Implementation Support Officer based in Uganda. The YEP- Beyco Implementation Support Officer supports the rollout and ongoing success of our Beyco Farmer platform with partners – producer organizations and service providers. This role requires regular travel to visit partners, conduct on-site and remote training, and provide quick support and trouble shooting. You’ll be first point of contact of our local Beyco partners, ensuring that they can use the platform effectively, while identifying opportunities for improvement. Additionally, you’ll also help to develop new partnerships, map out competitors, and identify opportunities for growth.

As Beyco Implementation Officer, you will be part of the Young Expert Program (YEP). YEP is a program by the Dutch government to offer young professionals from emerging markets the opportunity to kickstart their careers in an international environment and to work on their personal development. You will follow a personal development and professional training track (including trainings in the Netherlands).

Please send your CV and Cover Letter before 19-04-2026 to Federica Marra (Digital Product Manager) via federica@progreso.nl Please note: Job interviews will be scheduled and dates communicated for CVs that have caught our attention.