The Heart Behind Tamana Coffee

Tamana, the quintessential rural village in Trinidad and Tobago, has always been more than just a place for me. As a child, I remember visiting this lush, green paradise with my father on our way to his friend's cocoa and coffee estate. The rainforest felt alive. Its towering trees and endless whispers of nature ignited something deep within me. I told myself then, as a boy, one day, I will own a piece of this magical place. That dream lingered in my heart, quietly shaping the person I have become.

In 2015, I started taking steps toward turning my childhood dream into reality. I wanted to buy land in Tamana. Not just any land-something special, untouched, and full of life. In 2022, a flicker of hope turned into something tangible when I was offered the chance to purchase an old coffee and cocoa estate. It was everything I could have dreamed of. I began to imagine how I could transform it into an Eco-Agri-resort, a place where others could experience the peace and beauty I had always felt there.

Yet life has its own plans, and sometimes they are heavier than one can bear.

During the two years it took to finalize the purchase of the land, my world began to fall apart in ways I couldn't have imagined.

In November of 2022, the mother of my kids, just 41 years old, tragically passed away from an allergic reaction to depression medication. After spending one week in the ICU, we said our goodbyes-a moment that shook our family to its core. Soon after, my sister, who shared my deep love for Tamana, died suddenly from cardiac arrest in her sleep at the age of 49. As if that weren't enough, my younger brother, a vibrant and strong man, lost both of his legs due to complications from diabetes mere months before her passing. Grief became an uninvited guest in my life, relentless and unyielding.

Everything around me pointed to pain and loss. The dream of an Eco-Resort felt small and distant compared to the heartache I was living in. But as I reflected on my journey, on my loved ones, and their struggles, a new idea began to take shape-a purpose much larger than myself.

I realized Tamana couldn't just be a place of escape; it needed to be a place of healing.

The Tamana Wellness Center was born from this deep conviction. I envisioned a Sanctuary where people could reconnect with nature, themselves and each other. A space where stress, illness, and grief would meet the restorative powers of organic farming, grounding, yoga and the lush rainforest itself. This wouldn't just be for tourist and adventures. It would be for families, individuals and communities seeking to rebuild their lives, just as I am striving, to rebuild mine.

Tamana Coffee is the first step on that journey. Each bag of coffee tells a story; not just of the soil and trees it comes from, but of resilience, hope, and the belief that healing IS possible. Every sip you take helps fund the dream of the Tamana Wellness Center, ensuring that others can find a sanctuary of their own.

This journey isn't just about land or coffee; it's about the lives we can touch along the way. In every loss I've faced, I've found a reason to keep moving forward, and in every cup of Tamana Coffee, I hope you feel that same strength. Together, we're not just brewing coffee; we're cultivating wellness, hope, and healing in the heart of the rainforest.

Thank you for being part of this dream, one sip at a time.

In picture, my sister, Sarah (gone but not forgotten) leads the way the first time we walked on the Tamana lands 1/20/2023, one year and 4 months before her passing. Behind her is 79 year old Mr. Charles who worked on the estate in his younger days.